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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25915165">Spitting Fire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordReborn/pseuds/LordReborn'>LordReborn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shaman King (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brotherly Bonding, F/M, Gen, Not Manga Compliant, anime compliant, babysitting teenagers, hao loses a year of life every time horo opens his mouth, plans full of inspiration</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:02:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>84,359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25915165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordReborn/pseuds/LordReborn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>His current thought process happens because Yoh is not stupid. Against his wishes and, most certainly to the delight and aggravation of his grandparents, Yoh is pretty smart. He just doesn’t try hard enough. </p><p>Which is why he gets it sooner rather than later, and it gives him the time to think about it and <i>understand</i>. And when he understands, Yoh decides to follow his gut and screw predestinated destinies. </p><p>He refuses to fight to the death against his brother. So he will change his mind instead, with the same stubborn insistence he is so proud of.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Asakura Hao &amp; Asakura Yoh, Asakura Yoh/Kyouyama Anna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A poor decision, really</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Warning</b>: please be advised that this is not manga compliant. it is loosely based on the anime, beginning with episodes 40-41. very few elements have been added from the manga, so please forget everything about the manga because this is not it</p><p>much to my shame, I did not read it and now I decided to wait for the reboot, which is partly how this story happened in the first place<br/>i tried my best with the names tho, so hopefully i nailed it in this category</p><p>this being said, please enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>It starts with a strange and nagging thought at the back of his mind.</p><p>Yoh is not one to dig deep if there is no need for it, but in this case, the situation warrants such a thing. Especially because it has something to do with his crazy scary ancestor.</p><p>Scary and crazy.</p><p>Scarily crazy.</p><p>But something still doesn’t add up.</p><p>Yoh feels a deeper connection to the long haired kid who keeps butting his way into Yoh and his friends’ business. That boy got a reason for it, that is for sure, but Yoh isn’t sure what it is yet.</p><p>And then they ‘read’ the Tomb of the Shaman and Asakura ancestor and number one public enemy, Hao, keeps saying that now that he’s returned to his original bloodline, he is stronger than ever. But then how would that be possible when all of Yoh’s cousins are accounted for and not preponderantly evil?</p><p>Yoh has never heard of any crazy incident from his big-mouthed aunties. He’s never picked up any ill rumor surrounding anyone from the branch families. Anna never gossips with him, but she might have told him something in this case. His grandfather might have insisted a little more on this if it is so important.</p><p>So then.</p><p>What is actually feasible and what is reality should be one and the same, and yet the possibility growing at the back of his mind is enough to render the two immensely incompatible with one another.</p><p>This thought process happens because Yoh is not stupid. Against his wishes and, most certainly to the delight and aggravation of his grandparents, Yoh is pretty smart. He just doesn’t try hard enough.</p><p>Which is why, now that the stone-cold truth – that is still a possibility and yet he is also so certain of it – has settled like a gritty stone inside his stomach, Yoh certainly wishes that he would try less.</p><p>They exit that infernal book, no closer to being convinced – any of them. But Yoh is now convinced of another thing altogether and his mind is a maelstrom of possibilities.</p><p>He barely registers the X-Laws shoving their principles into their faces once again – this time with Lyserg’s subversive help – because there is something weighing on his mind more.</p><p>And Yoh isn’t sure what he should do.</p><p>He is the Asakura clansman who is supposed to take Hao down.</p><p>But haven’t there been another <em>two</em> Asakura clansmen who did just that and yet the immortal shaman returned five hundred years later?</p><p>What would change now?</p><p>Nothing, Yoh is certain of it. He will waste his time, come close to dying, put his friends in danger and let his family wager the destiny of the world on whether Yoh succeeds or not.</p><p>Which is less than advisable because he is Yoh and he is a world-class slacker who is better at lesser tasks like not fighting with the world hanging on his shoulders.</p><p>He is good at hammering at people. His skill sits on his ability to chip away, little by little, at the conscious and subconscious of his target until that person gives up and does what Yoh wants.</p><p>He convinced Ryu that way, after all. And then Ren and, consequently, his family. He kind of convinced Lyserg, too, before the X-Laws got their claws deep into him. Deeper than Yoh anticipated and he had no way to untangle them at that point. The list goes on and it just proves a point that Yoh holds dead center inside his mind.</p><p>Still, he isn’t sure if the newest half-assed, half-suicidal plan will actually be fruitful, but it’s not like that will actually stop him. The only problem is that everyone will think he’s crazy. And stupid.</p><p>Crazily stupid.</p><p>Would he even be able to get away if his friends put it in their minds to stop him?</p><p>Yoh kind of doubts it.</p><p>But he’s got to try, otherwise he isn’t sure if his clan’s whole ‘kill Hao’ plan will turn out more fruitful. At least this way, he may be able to stop the bloodshed before it begins, maybe negotiate some stuff even if Yoh’s awful at negotiating. And then maybe he will try and save humanity by being irritating and insistent. If he’s lucky, he won’t be thrown out and abandoned in the desert.</p><p>He has to try.</p><p>Hao comes like Yoh knew he would.</p><p>He’s like one of those unrelenting canicular days in the summer that keep coming back for more.</p><p>And he smirks and keeps talking like Yoh is his good friend.</p><p>Newly arrived in the group, Choco points out what has been obvious to everyone ever.</p><p>They look alike.</p><p>Of course they do, otherwise it wouldn’t have been so ironic in the first place.</p><p>Hao comes and goes, past Yoh, past the spot he’s rooted in. Just when he thinks that Hao will really pass by him without another word, he chooses to stop and whisper the thing Yoh dreads the most.</p><p>And yet, once it’s out in the open and his shock filters out, it is replaced by a slim coat of acceptance because he expected that, didn’t he?</p><p>He finds his friends with a glance. Their shocked faces would be funny, should the situation be altogether something else. Yoh smiles, wide enough to seem real, slow enough to make them realize that he is serious.</p><p>He tries to convey everything with his eyes and hopes that after so many times they fought together they would know how to read the expression on his face now.</p><p>He still opens his mouth and says it out loud.</p><p>“I’m about to do something stupid.”</p><p>It’s barely a whisper more than Hao’s words were to him, but Ren’s eyes widen all the same. Ryu’s mouth is open in protest, Horo’s foot is in the air, ready to take a step towards Yoh. Choco is mainly confused, but Yoh cannot begrudge him that. But he knows that the comedian is a team player all around. Faust, against all odds, is the only one to nod at him. It is a slight thing, a jerk of the head, but it tells Yoh all that he needs to know and for that he is grateful.</p><p>(Unfortunately, despite the fact that Faust can read Yoh well, the younger man does not have the same ability yet and what he takes as an encouraging nod to proceed without them is actually something completely else in the doctor’s mind.)</p><p>Yoh does not dare look at Manta. Or Tamao.</p><p>He wants to look at Anna, but that means staying here and the slight idea-made-plan at the back of his mind wants him to give this a go. Even if it ends in disaster.</p><p>It will end in disaster either way.</p><p>Yoh turns just as Hao summons his guardian spirit and declares him his brother to the world at large.</p><p>Amidamaru is behind him, invisible but ready to follow Yoh anywhere. He dutifully goes to relay the news to the guys, as late to come as they are.</p><p>There is a wave of shock and fear and it washes over him from behind but Yoh is already looking at his brother.</p><p>Hao is somewhat shocked that Yoh’s face isn’t set in fear and rage. The smile on his brother’s face stills him a second more than he would have stayed otherwise, and it gives Yoh the opening he needs.</p><p>“Hey, wait up!”</p><p>The canyon gorge is suffocating, less from the heat and his brother’s guardian ghost, and more from the shock and confusion permeating the very atmosphere.</p><p>“I’m coming with you.”</p><p>Hao freezes. His face is composed but Yoh clearly sees that he didn’t expect this to happen at all.</p><p>Scratch that, Hao is more than interested now that Yoh opened up this subject.</p><p>Of course, there are many who disagree with Yoh.</p><p>“Yoh! What the hell?!” That is Anna, eloquent as always.</p><p>“Yoh!” Manta’s tone is shy of terrified.</p><p>“What’s that mean, dude?!”</p><p>Horo’s scream is cut short but Yoh cannot see behind him. His eyes are still on his brother’s form, high up from the ground and standing on his guardian ghost’s forearm.</p><p>“You cannot do that, my son.” His father might sound calm, but Yoh has the nagging feeling that he’s as desperate as Anna is. “Fight his influence!”</p><p>But Yoh isn’t influenced by anything. Actually, if he was, he’d have a better excuse than he has now.</p><p>Hao silently raises his hand, as if Yoh could just reach out a bit and take it.</p><p>He makes to take a step forward when he feels a dark aura build up from behind and, with a heavy heart, Yoh realizes that Anna is just about to attack Hao. Which won’t end well.</p><p>He needs to hurry.</p><p>But then something grabs him from behind and moves him forward, almost forcefully.</p><p>There is an encore of voices surging from his back and it disorients him for a moment, even as he speed-walks towards Hao.</p><p>But then Yoh makes out who is dragging him towards his brother’s camp, and he forgets about everything else.</p><p>“R-Ren?” His eyes widen when he turns his head and really finds his friend there.</p><p>The boy’s eyes are narrowed on Hao’s form, and his fist is clenched at the back of Yoh’s shirt in a white-knuckled grip.</p><p>After, he registers that there are four other people walking around them. They form a shield around Yoh, though he isn’t sure what they are protecting him from anymore – Anna or Hao.</p><p>Faust brings up the rear and his face is all but relaxed. It dawns on Yoh that he didn’t read the doctor well at all. Ryu’s mouth is set into a grim line, but his shoulders are relaxed. Horo looks at anything but Hao, even as he steps forward with a poise and a certainness that always accompanies him in every fight.</p><p>Choco seems the most unnerved by who they are about to join up with. But beneath his sweating face and the barely audible mumbles regarding their sanity and their actions, his face is set into the stone of determination and his gaze is calmly looking over Hao’s group of henchmen.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re planning, Yoh.” Ren begins, talking almost in his ear. “But from what Amidamaru just reported, you decided to be stupid.” The grip tightens. “Unfortunately for you, being stupid alone is not one of your strong points.”</p><p>“Someone’s gotta make sure you stay alive, dude.” Horo offers a tremulous smile that freezes when he turns it in Hao’s direction.</p><p>Hao, on the other hand, only raises an eyebrow at the image. He didn’t expect his twin brother to decide to come with him and he <em>certainly </em>didn’t expect his friends to follow him so unquestioningly. Sure, some of them are afraid and poised for battle, but they still continue to follow Yoh.</p><p>He chances a glance behind the strange group.</p><p>His brother’s fiancé is rooted to her spot, surely overwhelmed by the current situation and Hao cannot find it in himself to blame her a bit. She’s a strong character and a strong fighter, but his little brother seems to be able to take them all by storm with nothing but three words and a poorly made decision.</p><p>Not that Hao thinks this is a poor decision, because he certainly isn’t complaining to have his twin brother join him, but it is earlier than he’d thought. Yoh needs convincing, but he didn’t think he only needed <em>so little of it. </em></p><p>His friends, on the other hand, will be here only to bother Hao. He cannot do anything about them though, because it would only take one bad move from Hao to make his brother mad and that is something he does not wish to do, lest he also makes Yoh reconsider coming with him.</p><p>He spots Mikihisa about to do something stupid, but one hot glare from Hao is enough to dissuade him for the moment. He’d have expected the man to put up more of a fight, but maybe he isn’t stupid and knows when he’s been beaten.</p><p>Not the same can be said about Yoh’s short friend, who has been shouting for the last two minutes, but Hao decides to let him go because at the end of the day, that is the only thing humans are able to do in the face of things that are so beyond their capacity.</p><p>The last few steps feel like they take a century, but then the spirit of fire lowers its arm and Yoh grasps his brother’s hand in his own. There is an inscrutable expression over his face that Yoh doesn’t know where to begin dissecting from.</p><p>He lets it go, if only because he has a guess and there’s no time. Shocking revelations and turns of situations only last as long as the impossible keeps happening.</p><p>If Yoh was smarter, he’d probably have thought this over more. If he’d been less smart, he’d have followed his clan’s wishes and the expectations they placed onto him.</p><p>But Yoh is smart, smart enough to realize that there are more ways than one, ways that spell less work than some others and are better suited to what Yoh thinks he can achieve.</p><p>Hao has the experience of a thousand years and two Shaman Tournaments under his belt. What Yoh has is unbridled confidence in his friends and has decided to extend the same thing to his brother in the hope that he will accept it and let Yoh help him.</p><p>Among other things.</p><p>“Are you quite sure of this, little brother?”</p><p>If Yoh would be anyone but himself, he’d have thought that Hao is amused. But his – older! – brother is tense and poised for a skirmish, with whoever is suicidal enough to attack them.</p><p>Yoh dares a look behind him, mostly to make sure that his friends are all behind him. He spots Anna’s sun kissed hair from behind and wishes that he didn’t, because now his chest is tight with things he’s decided to leave behind.</p><p>He takes a while to answer and maybe Hao is impatient, but he waits patiently now. Yoh rubs the back of his neck with his free hand and grips Hao’s hand a bit tighter just to illustrate his point.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess I am.”</p><p>It’s enough for his brother, even though there are a thousand questions in the wind waiting their turn.</p><p>There is a wall of fire that separates them from the ones they left behind. It quickly transforms into a tornado that whisks them away.</p><p>Yoh hears Choco yelp and Horo spits a curse but he never draws his eyes away from his brother’s. Identical in every aspect of them. Yoh’s seen them for fourteen years in the mirror. But there is a cold light in Hao’s eyes that doesn’t exist in Yoh’s.</p><p>It makes Yoh’s smile widen into a grin.</p><p>They land just like that in the middle of another part of the canyon, on top of the cliff this time. The sea of rock stretches in all directions and the sun beats down with more power than it did below.</p><p>Hao dismisses his guardian ghost, but his henchmen don’t move from where they bring up his brother’s rear. Which is just as well because Yoh’s friends don’t take a step back either.</p><p>But then Hao releases Yoh’s hand and squares his shoulders.</p><p>“We should talk, little brother.”</p><p>Which brings Yoh to stand all alone a few feet away from the two groups passing laser glares at one another. Hao’s forces are sneering and tight as a spring. His friends simply stand there with various degrees of uncertainness. Ren is the most composed of them all, as if undeterred with the change in plans. Faust smiles indulgently, as if this is just another wild detour on the way to Dobi village.</p><p>“What exactly made you decide to join me?”</p><p>Hao’s question comes without preamble and it brings Yoh out of his thoughts. He turns to his brother and takes in the interest in his eyes and the carefully constructed expression of disinterest.</p><p>Huh.</p><p>Yoh grins. “I realized that we must be seriously related when I was inside the Tomb of the Shaman.” </p><p>“What does that mean – ‘seriously related’?” Hao mouths the words uncertainly.</p><p>Yoh’s grin widens. “Means that I knew you weren’t only a distant evil ancestor.”</p><p>“Hm.” Because Yoh didn’t yet answer Hao’s question.</p><p>But he isn’t really sure how to do that without giving himself away.</p><p>Yoh is not suited to espionage and subtlety, but he will try his best.</p><p> “I just decided to come with you. Get to know you better, stuff like that. Y’know?” He pauses then because this was a bad venture for a reason. His brother’s face says it all. “And besides, I’m not really one to take people’s words at face value. I just heard rumors of you and read your diary.”</p><p>“It’s not a diary-“</p><p>“And then I decided – ‘hey, why not see what he has to say in person’? ‘Course, you have all this evil mumbo jumbo going around you and I knew that, but <em>uhh</em>,” Yoh ruffles his hair, as if the answer can be found at the back of his head, “I thought to myself – ‘this can’t be it’, you know? I want to get to know my older brother.”</p><p>And then he laughs because he thinks he did a good enough job.</p><p>Hao’s face gradually smooths into something less aggressive and more in the spectrum of aggravation. He rubs his temples and Yoh hears him mumble something along the lines of “Serves me well for being so insistent.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Nothing.” His brother looks at him with the strength of a thousand suns. Yoh thinks it’s not far out from the truth. “Alright then. Though I doubt that you suddenly agree with my point of view and the plans I have for the world.”</p><p>The observation is an invitation and a warning all rolled into one, and Yoh inwardly sighs because he didn’t have much hope that he’d manage to put his plan into action without Hao getting the wind of it. But now at least he can come clean and not worry much because his friends are with him, so they have a fifty-fifty chance when there was only ten-ninety for Yoh alone.</p><p>Though he kind of doubts that Hao would have much of a negative reaction because he seriously expects Yoh to pull something like this.</p><p>“Nah,” Yoh chuckles and shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants, “but that’s why I’m here.” He catches the impassive gaze of his older brother. “To maybe, seriously try and change it.”</p><p>“And how are you planning to do that?” Hao asks dryly.</p><p>And then, because Yoh is a masochist, he just throws reason out of the window and lifts a clenched fist and pats his biceps, smiling all the way.</p><p>“With my amazing awesomeness of course!”</p><p>His brother might be a thousand years old, but Yoh is only fourteen and less cynical. Hao demonstrates his years when he rolls his eyes, but then he’s fourteen years old because he scoffs and starts going back towards his henchmen.</p><p>Yoh follows him, because what else is he supposed to do?</p><p>Hao didn’t throw him off the cliff, so they are off to a good start.</p><p>“Master Hao?” The blue haired girl from the girl troupe who attacked them most recently bows slightly and looks at her leader questioningly.</p><p>Hao stops and looks to Yoh’s friends as if he only found them stationed where they are now.</p><p>“Yoh and his friends have joined our cause, something that I am most pleased about. You will welcome them and be civil.”</p><p>If he needed to tell his henchmen that, then the people Hao surrounded himself with aren’t the most sociable around. Or maybe they are but not to strangers.</p><p>Yoh’s seen some cases of the same happening with his friends, which prompts him to pause in his steps and turn to them to suggest the same.</p><p>Ren crosses his arms and huffs, but the others nod tightly. Horo drops to the ground, his legs crossed and eyes downcast, fixed on the ground. The others who are not Ren or a solid rock statue shuffle around, uncomfortable and not in their element.</p><p>Yoh walks up to them and offers a reassuring smile. He keeps his back to his brother and his eyes on his friends – the complete opposite picture of a few hours ago.</p><p>Hao orders for wood because the sun is melting into the horizon and nights in the desert are bad enough when you’re not as high up as they are.</p><p>His brother lights up the fire by only glaring in the pile’s direction. Yoh is impressed enough to dare amble closer to the circle of fire.</p><p>Many henchmen are already seated, but they shuffle and make way for him. Most importantly, they keep away, which offers a small dram of relief to Yoh because he’s loath to break any fights tonight.</p><p>The events of today have left him tired and sore and the weight of his decision presses down on his shoulders. He needs to meditate, but he will do that after the ice breaks a little bit more.</p><p>“I guess you know my friends, right?”</p><p>Hao hums as his eyes pass over every member of Yoh’s band of friends.</p><p>“Yes, I am quite up to speed on your choice of company, Yoh.”</p><p>Horo bares his teeth then, but Yoh only laughs amiably and digs into the food someone offered him.</p><p>Choco lifts a finger, probably to point out that the food might be poisoned, but Yoh doesn’t think he’d make a good guardian ghost if this was his brother’s intention all along.</p><p>“You should try it. It’s not that bad.”</p><p>“Why <em>did</em> you come with Yoh?”</p><p>The way Hao breaks the ice leaves a lot to be desired, but Yoh isn’t one to comment on it.</p><p>He looks askance at his friends, wondering the same thing.</p><p>Ren purses his lips, but the others look at him which means that he took the lead in that split second when he decided to go with Yoh. And by default, everyone followed the team leader and the second in command.</p><p>“I did promise Lady Anna that I will watch out for Yoh. And I do intend to keep my promise.” Faust says this casually enough to make Yoh think he’s talking about the weather.</p><p>He’s actually a bit surprised to hear his words, but he supposes that there needed to be a good explanation on why the doctor suddenly sprung up and joined their group.</p><p>“As for us, we are master Yoh’s friends and we will always follow him.” Ryu says it with such conviction that Yoh’s heart squeezes inside his chest.</p><p>“Say that about yourself.” Ren obviously cannot concede the point, lest his reputation mellows into poo doo. “I only came because things seemed to be getting interesting.”</p><p>“What, I thought we all decided to scout out the enemy camp!” Horo is joking but Yoh winces all the same and hopes that Hao won’t take it the wrong way.</p><p>“Which right now seems pretty <em>damp</em>!” Choco uses a kerchief to tap his forehead. Yoh applauds him for keeping his wits about him enough to manage a joke, but even in enemy territory Ren seems to react by reflex.</p><p>His sharp weapon all but slices Choco’s nose and the other boy instinctively leans away, hands clutching his nose.</p><p>Yoh hears three snickers in total over the ruckus that his friends are making and he grins at his brother’s unimpressed face.</p><p>“’Sides,” Choco adds, voice nasally as he still grips his abused nose, “first I thought we were gonna stop him, but then everyone said we’re in.”</p><p>“Well you should have stayed behind if you weren’t.” Ren bites back.</p><p>“<em>How could I</em>?!”</p><p>“Just like that.”</p><p>“I kind of doubt that Choco here would have quietly agreed, even if that was the case.” Ryu points out easily. “He heard what Amidamaru said.”</p><p>“Besides, it would have been totally uncool.” Horo winks in Yoh’s direction just for the hell of it. “Not that it’s cool now…”</p><p>His words are lost over Choco’s argument with Ren.</p><p>“And I’m still not fine with it!”</p><p>Yoh stifles his chuckle in the palm of his hand. His friends are already lost in their own world now that they are arguing, and it’d take a while until they get bored.</p><p>He looks back at his brother and his companions, all looking less than impressed with the newest additions, but it doesn’t bother Yoh in the least.</p><p>This party needed a little pick-me-up anyways.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Anna’s knees hit the ground as soon as Hao disappears with the boys. She has kept her eyes trained on Yoh until the end. He turned at one point, but he didn’t meet her gaze, which made the unbridled terror slowly taking a hold of her increase tenfold.</p><p>Anna is unsure of what she should have done.</p><p>Horror filled her veins, sharp and unmerciful, at the sight of Yoh walking towards Hao. It made her brain freeze and her reflexes sluggish enough that she couldn’t react.</p><p>Her mind screamed that this was not how it was supposed to go.</p><p>But then the boys started dragging her fiancé towards the source of all evil and Anna balked. The 1080 beads were in her hands before her mind could comprehend it, and the only thing she saw was Yoh’s form getting farther and farther away from her.</p><p>She couldn’t just attack them, though. She wouldn’t even have been able to attack Hao right then. Not with Yoh in the way, between them like a barrier protecting that selfish piece of shit.</p><p>Anna still believes that Yoh is not under his brother’s – <em>his brother’s </em>– influence, but that does not mean that the other boys weren’t. If they really aren’t, they should better pray that they never meet Anna again.</p><p>They could have stopped him, she is sure of that. Ryu, Ren – they could have <em>done </em>something. Horo could have talked until his throat was raw and stop Yoh from going along with this. That new boy Chocolove could have distracted Yoh long enough for Anna or someone else to swoop him away from Hao. She should have ordered Faust to stop him, but the doctor went ahead and stabbed her in the back.</p><p><em>Incredible</em>.</p><p>Anna still doesn’t know what she should do.</p><p>“What should I do, Mikihisa?” She turns, but the man is as still as a statue.</p><p>Anna spots the unadulterated terror and fear under that bird mask.</p><p>“I don’t know, Anna.” The man answers, voice tired and rough.</p><p>Manta immediately snaps from his shock-induced stupor.</p><p>“What do you mean, what we should do?! We should go after them-!”</p><p>“And do what?” Because as much as Anna thinks that violence is effective, there is absolutely no way that they will be able to beat Hao, especially with the boys in the way.</p><p>“Do-Do, <em>ah</em>!” Manta pulls at his hair desperately. “Do <em>something</em>!”</p><p>“They-We, how could we- but why is it-“ Tamao stumbles over her words without success.</p><p>Jun sits on a rock near the wall, her face resting in her hands and Lee Pai Long rubbing her back consolingly.</p><p>Anna wishes that Yoh was there, just for the opportunity to kick his ungrateful butt.</p><p>It’s like he left and took the warm sun with him.</p><p>Anna shivers as the wind picks up. The ground digs painfully in the white skin of her knees, but maybe this is some form of punishment.</p><p>For not being enough to stop Yoh.</p><p>Anna was not enough.</p><p>He left them there and joined his evil brother.</p><p>She always liked to think that she was enough, but now she was wrong. And now Anna wonders if she will ever be.</p><p>She notices Jun’s muffled sobs a while later, when the light has turned to shadows and the buzz in her ears diminished to an afterthought.</p><p>Tamao is crying earnestly too and Manta is not far behind them.</p><p>And Mikihisa is still standing rigid in the middle of the dirt path, as if incredulous that this happened at all.</p><p>Anna knows the feeling well. She is unable to convince herself that it really happened either.</p><p>“What are we going to do now?” Manta voices out tentatively.</p><p>Anna has lead in her throat. Her mouth works the words, but no sound comes out.</p><p>Mikihisa startles, as if the short boy kicked him in the shin.</p><p>Lee Pai Long watches them with fire burning behind his gaze.</p><p>Anna clears her throat and feels the ground digging in her skin anchor her to reality, if only a little bit.</p><p>If only to allow her to answer, to offer this broken group of people a direction.</p><p>“We should head on to Dobi village.”</p><p>They cannot end up dead in the middle of the desert.</p><p>They have to find the boys and bring them back.</p><p><em>They have to</em>.</p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Improvise, Adapt, Overcome</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>for the sake of my imagination, please consider that these kids are speaking English in most cases</p><p>considering that there are Faust and Choco - and Ren, but let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he can speak Japanese perfectly - I personally think that due to the international nature of the shaman tournament, these kids are going to most likely communicate in English. And considering the amount of diverse following Hao has, he obviously has to be able to be understood by all of them. Another two foreign language examples - Silva and Kalim</p><p>We can say that Anna and the others speak Japanese most often, but they are on thin ice</p><p>in my vision, that is</p><p>so that is how my story goes as well</p><p>and now that my heads-up is over, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>“You are uncharacteristically quiet.”</p><p>Yoh looks away from the breaking dawn above the desert. Last night passed in a blur, but that is only because he struggled to meditate for most of it and fought sleep for the rest of the time.</p><p>By sunrise, Yoh is thoroughly spent and he has a day of bonding with his somber older brother and his perplexing companions to look forward to. His gaze inches in the direction of the place they left Anna and the others in, but there is nothing – nothing but unearthly tranquility in this early hour.</p><p>A few paces away, his friends are sleeping soundly, gathered in a tight circle. Tension runs high and it will continue to do so because his friends aren’t going to start trusting these people anytime soon and vice versa.</p><p>Still, Yoh decided to place his own trust in Hao.</p><p>“Yeah well,” he grins, all teeth because it makes his eyes close and he might find two seconds of sleep between answers, “I didn’t catch much shut-eye last night.”</p><p>His brother hums under his breath and sits down next to him.</p><p>There is a penetrating silence for a few precious moments before he speaks again.</p><p>“I am going to be honest with you, Yoh.”</p><p>The way he begins makes Yoh balk. He certainly wasn’t looking forward to such a serious discussion so early in the morning. Hao doesn’t seem to care though.</p><p>“I doubt that you will be able to accomplish what you set out to do.”</p><p>Yoh blinks.</p><p>“You mean to get to know you better?”</p><p>Hao closes his eyes, aggrieved.</p><p>“More like the part where you change my mind.”</p><p>“Ah, that.” His careless answer causes his brother to look at him. Yoh taps his fingers on his thigh, dangling his legs over the edge of the red rock cliff. He looks thoughtfully at the blood red sky as he replies. “We’ll see. But I won’t give up so easily.”</p><p>He catches his brother’s gaze and from the way the other doesn’t turn away, it tells Yoh that his serious demeanor has gotten Hao’s attention.</p><p>“I’m here to negotiate on behalf of the humans.”</p><p>Hao opens his mouth, but where Yoh expected a derisive observation, there is only a question. </p><p>“Only the humans, little brother? There are many weak shamans that won’t make the cut, you know?”</p><p>Yoh tilts his head to the side in silent acquiescence.</p><p>“I guess for them as well, now that you say it.”</p><p>“I can’t wait to see you try.” Hao stands up and he feels Yoh’s eyes follow his movements. “Honestly.”</p><p>His little brother grins again and it’s all he seems to do in the face of the overwhelming task he’s set for himself. But there’s barely much ardor to start on it that it confuses Hao.</p><p>“I will hold you to that!”</p><p>So easy-going he is that Hao cannot help but add.</p><p>“My mind hasn’t been changed in one thousand years, Yoh. So you can say that I’m looking forward to your attempt.”</p><p>Yoh watches his brother walk away, wondering if he should feel helpless at his words. Because against all odds, he only feels a renewed sense of purpose and the challenge Hao just launched just brings out the worst competitive side of Yoh.</p><p>His brother won’t see what hit him.</p><p>But first – Hao announces that they will relocate closer to Dobi village.</p><p>Now that Hao’s main targets all but threw themselves at his side, there’s not much reason for them to stick around the desert. His brother knows the way to the elusive village by heart and, if nothing gets in their way, they should get there in three days at most.</p><p>Which leaves Yoh a little deflated by the fact that their journey has arrived at an abrupt conclusion, but he doesn’t have much time to think on it because the spirit of fire brings them into the sky and Yoh’s mouth drops open with wonder.</p><p>“Hey, Ren! This reminds me of the time we took your family’s plane and crashed it in the desert!” Horo can’t resist the jab, and neither can Ren resist the physical jab on the Nordic with his guandao at the mention of the demeaning incident.</p><p>“No way, <em>really</em>?!” Chocho’s been unnervingly silent all morning and Yoh is aware that he’s more than a little discontent with the whole situation. But he didn’t leave yet, so Yoh is thankful for the trust his friend still places in him, as shaky as it is right now. “I bet you guys <em>nose-dived</em> pretty bad back there!” The comedian taps Ren’s nose pointedly.</p><p>The Chinese boy rounds on him without preamble.</p><p>“Your friends are a certified troop of buffoons.” Hao comments lightly from his side.</p><p>Yoh sits at the front next to his brother because of course he does. His friends are just behind them, somewhere to the right on the massive back of the fire spirit and they are arguing if his brother’s guardian is better than Ren’s plane or not.</p><p>Feeling a bead of sweat fall from his temple, Yoh offers an uncertain smile, curbed by the cheek resting on his fist.</p><p>“Yeah, they are pretty funny.”</p><p>The look Hao shoots him has Yoh laughing.</p><p>“When, exactly, is funny going to happen?”</p><p>“Master Hao,” there is a small kid that is taller than Manta only by the size of his hair. The kid jumps to his brother’s side, wide eyes veiled with an innocence that Yoh doubts is there anymore, “where are we resting today?”</p><p>Sensing that this is more than Opacho getting tired of flying of all things, Hao chances a glance behind at the loud group. His followers are keeping their distance, but there is no doubt that the volume is cracked up to the maximum and people are getting testy.</p><p>“Yoh,” his tone is calm when he calls his brother’s name, “control your friends.”</p><p>By which Hao means that Yoh brought the loud group here and they are Yoh’s responsibility. Otherwise, Hao will get to disciplining and Yoh certainly doesn’t want that.</p><p>So he heaves a sigh and scurries off to his friends’ side.</p><p>“Hey, guys?” His expression is apologetic when he reaches them. “I’ve been directed to stop the party.”</p><p>Ren clicks his tongue and looks away, as if his dignity has been affected by the remark.</p><p>“<em>Pfff</em>. Bunch of spoilsports!” Horo sticks out his tongue at the general audience.</p><p>Yoh winces.</p><p>“You okay Choco?” Yoh turns to his newest friend then.</p><p>Choco remains suspiciously silent for a while and it’s enough to give Yoh a descriptive answer. But then the comedian opens his mouth.</p><p>“Yeah.” Though it seems that he is trying to convince himself of that. “My mind’s still mushy ‘cause Hao’s your brother and all.”</p><p>“Twin brother.” Yoh offers, as if this would help even a little bit.</p><p>“Obviously!” Choco grouses. “You guys look exactly the same!”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess so.”</p><p>His friend deflates then and crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s gonna take me some time to figure things out. <em>You </em>didn’t help much by doing <em>this</em>,” he encompasses the whole fire spirit and his brother’s gang to make his point, “but I will deal.”</p><p>Ryu reaches out and pats Choco on the back reassuringly. His eyes are on Yoh when he says, “We are all going to deal. That you don’t have to worry about, master Yoh.”</p><p>“The only thing I need to know right now is what you are planning.” Ren says this without much minding that Hao’s minions are not far off from their spot.</p><p>But when Yoh looks, he finds them absorbed in their own business. Groups pepper the fire giant’s back, but they are hardly bigger than their own. It gives Yoh enough of an idea that his brother is not much of a leader beyond being the head of this mismatched group. He united them under a cause, but there is hardly a mushy atmosphere between the members.</p><p>With that conclusion out of the way, Yoh turns to his friends. They are waiting for him to give a reply to Ren’s earlier demand. Yoh rubs his chin, wondering how to pose the problem without inciting too much of an energetic answer. The last thing they need is Hao poking in this private conversation. Not that Yoh didn’t just announce his intentions this very morning.</p><p>“Right so, I figured that beating Hao will be pretty hard to do since he’s so powerful and all.”</p><p>Ren scoffs but that’s only because Yoh just put his skills as a warrior under a large question sign.</p><p>“And I thought – ‘there were two other Asakura guys who beat Hao before, and he still came back’. We needed a change in strategy!”</p><p>“And your change in strategy was to join him?!” Horo pulls at his hair and only now Yoh sees how much his friend is affected by the recent events.</p><p>“Well yeah. I’m pretty good at convincing people to change their ways,” this once he looks to Ryu and Ren. Ren scoffs again, though this time he seems less angry and unsure, “so I decided to put that skill to good use. There’s gotta be a way to negotiate a better deal for all of humanity, you know? And we are here to do just that!”</p><p>“I don’t know, Yoh.” Despite his shaky trust in Yoh at the moment, Choco speaks as if they are still at the bottom of the canyon, searching for Dobi village. “The guy hasn’t changed his mind in one thousand years. How are <em>you</em> gonna do it?”</p><p>The same kind of thing Hao asked him this morning and Yoh doesn’t have an answer prepared more than he did back then.</p><p>So he shrugs. “I’m gonna be insistent and not give up, and I’m sure that things are gonna work out in the end!”</p><p>Ren closes his eyes and rubs his forehead as expletives tumble from his mouth. Horo groans and falls on the fiery floor. Ryu chuckles, though Yoh sees a thin layer of nervousness under his skin. Only Faust is very much relaxed with Yoh’s plan and the doctor is silently patting Choco on the back because the comedian is crying tears of frustration because of Yoh’s stupid plan.</p><p>“Thrown smack into the enemy camp with a half-assed idea of a plan and it’s just <em>peachy</em>!”</p><p>“Hey, hey,” Ryu hurries to smack down Horo, the nonbeliever, “if master Yoh says he can do it, then he can!”</p><p>“Excuse me if it’s kind of hard to believe that right now, Ryu!”</p><p>Yoh purses his lips to stifle another incoming bout of laughter. His friends are little balls of anxious energy and definitely not in their natural habitat, but they are holding up pretty well and he’s glad for it. Yoh would be lying if he’d say that having them here isn’t a huge boost in his morale.</p><p>They watch the scenery change from the rocky canyon to a smooth plane of golden sand. It glitters under the scorching sun, but somehow flying takes the edge off the heat because at this altitude the wind is cool and refreshing.</p><p>Yoh stays with his friends and tries to keep them occupied and less inclined to make a ruckus. He sometimes chances glances at his brother, but Hao is resolutely looking forward.</p><p>It’s about dinnertime when Horo scoots closer to the edge of the fire giant’s torso and exclaims with a hand shielding his eyes.</p><p>“Hey! Is that a village I see out there?”</p><p>“Seems like it, my icy friend.” Ryu grins, delighted.</p><p>Yoh cannot exactly share their happiness since he has his doubts that Hao will let them get some grub out in town.</p><p>But then again, Yoh doesn’t know his brother that well, nor is he privy to whatever thoughts run through Hao’s mind. So, when his brother pulls up behind Yoh, the younger blinks at the sudden shadow looming over him.</p><p>“I have a few things to take care of for now.”</p><p>Which doesn’t really clear anything up. Yoh offers a raised brow, not understanding what this has to do with them.</p><p>Hao sighs and lifts a leg.</p><p>The next thing Yoh knows, they are approaching the silky sands at top speed.</p><p>In a close rendition of their first time falling to the ground from very high places, Ren uses Bason to cut their journey short. Yoh stays laying on the ground for a few more seconds than the others.</p><p>“What’s the big deal, Hao?!” Horo points in the boy’s direction with a scowl as big as the desert they landed in.</p><p>“How dare you?” Because this was mostly painful to Ren’s dignity than anything else.</p><p>Yoh stays where he is, absorbing the heat of the sand and meeting his older brother’s gaze unflinchingly.</p><p>“So, what’s up?”</p><p>Hao’s face barely flickers through any one emotion.</p><p>“I have a few followers to gather. In the meantime, you can go out into town.” His guardian ghost dissipates and the rest of his henchmen land graciously on the ground. Sneers and scowls are directed at them again, but some of them look amused so Yoh will take the win.</p><p>Hao lands on the ground, but his feet barely touch the surface.</p><p>“And do what?” Ryu leans on his wooden sword, his mind already working through whatever Hao might want them doing out there.</p><p>Yoh realizes it a second behind his friend and he frowns. If Hao wants them to go out and preach about him to other people, he’s in for a big disappointment. Yoh might have willingly joined up with his brother, but he’s not about to help recruit people to his cause. Especially when Yoh’s here to stop that cause from happening in the first place.</p><p>In spite of his silent fears, Hao simply shrugs, which might be the most human thing he did since Yoh’s known him.</p><p>“Do whatever. I don’t care.” With that he turns on his heels and starts to walk away.</p><p>Only the curly haired, short boy goes after him. The rest of Hao’s henchmen disperse, though they don’t make any move to head into town.</p><p>Yoh sits up slowly and pats his clothes free of the sand clinging to them.</p><p>“What do we do, dudes?” Horo asks with a momentary serious expression.</p><p>“We should go hang out in that village!” Choco walks forward, arms crossed behind his head. A sly grin stretches over his lips. “I’m dying for some good food.”</p><p>“Hmph. I for once agree with the bad joker.” Ren turns to Yoh then, waiting for him to give the final word.</p><p>“Hey, you say bad joker, I say I’m more of a <em>broker</em> for <em>laughter</em>!”</p><p>Somehow Choco has donned a suit and got a suitcase from somewhere. He laughs, but Ren comes unnervingly close to skewering him.</p><p>Yoh snickers. “Sure, let’s go!”</p><p>Horo drapes a hand across Choco’s trembling form as they walk in the general direction of the town.</p><p>“Dude, you gotta learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes.”</p><p>“Or maybe we should buy the man a joke book.” Ryu advises, walking next to Yoh.</p><p>“That’s actually a good idea, Ryu.” Ren grouses, a vein still pulsing in his temple.</p><p>Hao doesn’t stay to watch hem walk away, mostly because a smirk is crossing over his lips in that moment.</p><p>Opacho looks at him with in wonder.</p><p>“Master Hao, do you think it’s a good idea to let them go?”</p><p>Hao stifles a laugh at the very idea that Yoh might try and go back on his word.</p><p>“Whatever do you mean, Opacho?”</p><p>“They aren’t that trustworthy, for one.” That, Hao can agree with. “And they might tell other people stuff.”</p><p>“I doubt they found out any <em>stuff </em>to gossip about in the middle of that village.”</p><p>Opacho looks to the ground, uneasy. Hao smiles, if only to make his friend feel slightly better.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Opacho. There is only one thing they will find in that village and that is a horde of disgruntled shamans.”</p><p>Hao looks up to the gradually darkening sky. Stars already litter the vast expanse.</p><p>“It’s time for Yoh and his friends to learn what exactly it means to join up with me.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Yoh has been listening in on the debate between Horo, Ryu and Choco for half an hour.</p><p>The town they stumbled upon is nothing to write home about, but there are enough pubs, restaurants and souvenir shops to be called a touristic village. There is also a shaman-only population, so Ren pointed out that this town must be very close to Dobi village for such a thing to happen.</p><p>Faust disappeared in the nearest supermarket slash pharmacy, hoping to replenish his medical supplies, considering the rather wild turn their journey has taken. Yoh cannot see anything but good points in his logic so he reassured the man that they will save him a seat at the table.</p><p>Horo found the cafeteria they are camped in now more by mistake than strategy. But the prices are pretty good and it’s large enough that they can get lost in the crowd.</p><p>Not that Yoh thinks that might happen. Their group is colorful and loud enough to warrant them all the attention of the other shamans in the region.</p><p>Nonetheless, Yoh did order a double cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake and has been gorging himself on them for the last half hour while his friends pendulated between eating their own food and debating the possibility that Yoh might be going insane.</p><p>“And I’m not saying that he doesn’t have good intentions, but I just can’t see it happening, you know?”</p><p>Horo stuffs a fry in his mouth with vengeance.</p><p>“Dude, that was my first thought. But now I think he can do it!”</p><p>“You mean ‘we’ can do it.” Ryu hurries to correct, sipping at his peach ice-tea. “And my trust in master Yoh will never waiver, unlike your nonbelievers.”</p><p>Yoh receives a thumbs up to go along with the statement and he grins through his mouthful of food, thankful that he has at least Ryu and Faust on his side.</p><p>“It’s not that I doubt in Yoh’s abilities-!”</p><p>“But that’s exactly what you’re doing.” Ren leans back, already done with his food. He’s never one to eat very much, unlike the other porcupines cluttering the table.</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“And what exactly are you really here for, Ren?” Choco sheds his funny persona for a short moment. His hand holds three fries, and he points them at Ren. “You were the first one to go after Yoh.”</p><p>Ren sighs and crosses his arms over his chest.</p><p>“I already told you most of my reasoning. Besides, I knew that there will be many powerful adversaries to fight in Hao’s camp and this was as good an opportunity as any.”</p><p>A short pause surrounds their table before Choco groans and sadly eats his fries.</p><p>Ryu, against all normal logic, laughs merrily while Horo simply shakes his head. Yoh catches him mumble something about not expending his energy on trying to understand Ren anymore and it fills him with infinite amusement.</p><p>They finish eating and don’t dwindle. Ryu asks if they can stay the night in town but Yoh doubts that his brother will accept that, so he suggests they return to Hao’s camp.</p><p>“What if they aren’t there anymore?” Horo wriggles his eyebrows.</p><p>Yoh grins. “Then we can stay the night in town.”</p><p>Choco offers a flashy thumbs up, definitely in on the plan.</p><p>“I’m telling you, staying in a hotel is better than sleeping out in the desert!”</p><p>“I don’t doubt that, my icy friend. But sleeping in the desert also brings with it an incredible peace to the soul you would otherwise not find.” Ryu explains this patiently as they meander to the very edge of town.</p><p>“Not when you have to sleep next to Hao!”</p><p>Yoh winces at the very volume of Horo’s joke. It’s not that he minds it, but he’s starting to be aware of the looks people throw them. Back in the cafeteria, there were a couple of patrons openly glaring in their direction, though he chalked it up to the nature of this town and the tournament. Now though, the level of hostility is high enough Yoh can taste it on his tongue.</p><p>“Would you shut up a minute!” Ren does this because Horo and Ryu are still talking loudly and Choco is trying to include tasteless jokes in the midst of it. But he also does this because Hao’s name was spoken one too many times and now the gig is up.</p><p>There is a full crowd cutting their path to the open desert. Most faces are guarded, but there are many outwardly glaring in their direction.</p><p>Ren demonstrates being counterproductive when he demands rather violently.</p><p>“Out of our way!”</p><p>There are three shamans dressed in heavy furs and long coats. Their blond leader grits his teeth and spits through the spaces in between.</p><p>“Scum who follows Hao is not welcome here.”</p><p>Now that he’s started talking, his visage relaxes somewhat. Or it can be that he’s happy to have people agree with him, seeing as the whole crowd gathered around them yells about the same thing.</p><p>“And where did you get that from?” Ryu tries, but it’s obvious to Yoh and it’s obvious to the rest of the shaman population.</p><p>The blonde man lifts his hands and shrugs. “You guys aren’t exactly very good at keeping your mouths shut. There is also the fact that you speak loud enough to raise the dead.”</p><p>The quip would be funny, but Yoh has a very bad feeling about this.</p><p>“We were just leaving, so you don’t have to worry.” Despite his words, Yoh’s eyes narrow when the trio from the north raise their weapons.</p><p>“Oh, you will be leaving. Just not through this world.”</p><p>“Spare me your theatrics.” Ren’s lance is out and glinting under the moonlit sky. “You should do yourself a favor and step aside while you can.”</p><p>“’Fraid that’s impossible anymore.”</p><p>The temperature drops for reasons other than the sudden arrival of nightfall. Yoh grips his sword, torn between fighting their way out and running out of there.</p><p>But then everything happens in a heartbeat.</p><p>The trio from the north is swatted aside, rather bodily, by the X-Laws. A whole troop of them, with Marco, Lyserg and a metallic coffin in the lead, walk up to Yoh’s group.</p><p>Ren stands his ground, but Horo and Ryu advance with such ardor that Yoh has to extend a hand to keep them in line.</p><p>Faust pulls up behind their group like a ghost. His expression does not give out any type of hint as to what he’s thinking right now, but Yoh supposes he isn’t much concerned about their current situation either.</p><p>“I’d like to say that you’ve fulfilled our expectations, Yoh Asakura.” Marco lifts his glasses on his nose. “But I honestly had higher expectations where you were concerned.”</p><p>Yoh grins because it brings him a twisted kind of satisfaction to hear that.</p><p>“Well, I did lie to you before when I said I’m not going to join any boy band out there. So I guess I owe you an apology!”</p><p>His good humor is not well received. Marco extends his hands with a flourish and announces.</p><p>“Behold! The Iron Maiden Jeanne!”</p><p>The coffin opens to reveal younger than them, wrapped in spiky vines and dressed in pajamas.</p><p>“Do you think that when she flies, she flies cargo?”</p><p>“No fair, Ren-!”</p><p>“My heart rightfully broke in half when I heard the news that you decided to join Hao.” Jeanne all but cries right there and Yoh feels an ounce of guilt before he realizes a second later that there’s no place for it there.</p><p>“This Iron Maiden seems to have an extensive amount of tools to use against her adversaries.” Amidamaru drifts behind Yoh, appearing for the first time since they joined with up Hao.</p><p>Yoh knows that his guardian ghost is supportive of his choices, but he also understands that Amidamaru needed some time for himself. Or, now that Yoh looks closer at the shivering ghost, maybe there was another reason altogether.</p><p>“What’s wrong with you, buddy?” Yoh takes in the slightly disheveled spectral appearance of his friend and realizes that it must have something to do with the Tomb of the Shaman.</p><p>“I’m not quite sure myself.”</p><p>“It looks like he’s evolving or something.” Ren points out, which makes less sense in the grand scheme of things, but Yoh takes it as it is and nods.</p><p>He turns to the X-Laws and the little girl hanging from vines. She is really crying right now, which in turn causes both Ryu and Horo to deflate, despite the fact that they were so ready to go at it with her not two seconds earlier.</p><p>“I kind of doubt that the X-Laws are here to hang out with us.” Not by the scathing glowers Lyserg keeps throwing them from behind the lid of the metal coffin. “Seems like you guys are on your own on this one.”</p><p>Amidamaru’s image is wavy, like a bad TV reception. Yoh looks for the peppery dots of no signal, but thankfully finds none.</p><p>“There is no need for you to do anything but admit to your sins.” Her voice is too soft and too smooth to be unreal, but it is also mindboggling that she can take herself so seriously.</p><p>Not that Hao isn’t the same, but at least he has the audacity because he’s a thousand under that fourteen years old skincare routine.</p><p>“There is still hope for you yet.”</p><p>“The only hope I have is no scorpions in my sleeping bag tonight!” Horo’s hand closes around his icupasuy.</p><p>Ren brandishes his weapon a little higher, obviously itching for the fight to start.</p><p>“I see no sins here besides Ryu’s choice of hairdo.”</p><p>“I thought we were done insulting my hairdo, short pants!”</p><p>“You should be ashamed of yourselves!” Marco bellows this for the whole town, like they aren’t the victims of gang violence.</p><p>Yoh snorts softly, yet it cuts through the air like a blade.</p><p>“You guys like to jump to conclusions even when you know nothing about the problem itself. I think you’re the ones who should be ashamed.” His free hand slips into his pocket and he rests a tight glare on the X-Laws. Lyserg shifts on his feet. “It’s our business what we decide to do and who we decide to join. I see no reason for you guys to keep interfering.”</p><p>“Trust me, we don’t care about your business, Yoh. But when you become Hao’s follower, you simply insist to be taken down. Which is what will happen very soon.”</p><p>Yoh’s chest tightens and his treacherous mind points out that this wouldn’t happen if he didn’t go with Hao in the first place. But the moment passes, and he realizes that the X-Laws would do the same thing anyways, no matter who Yoh does and does not join. Not until he joins their team, which won’t happen in this lifetime.</p><p>“Then we’re done talking here.”</p><p>His friends step forward and a whole line of X-Laws also walk up behind Jeanne. Their leader simply stops them with a small gesture of her head.</p><p>Her hands lift forward, as if inviting them into her arms.</p><p>Yoh takes one visible step back, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on Jeanne’s.</p><p>The girl doesn’t give any outward reaction other than the smallest purse of her lips. Her coffin starts glowing and it’s powerful enough that Yoh needs to shield his eyes. When the light dims, Jeanne has donned an extremely unflattering costume that, at the very least, offers her some more freedom of movement than the plants from earlier.</p><p>“Let’s go, Shamash!”</p><p>A hybrid between a giant baby and a lizard materializes above their heads. Its skin is pale blue and its eyes are red. Yoh feels it look right into his very soul.</p><p>“It is time to cleanse the world of Hao’s followers.”</p><p>Yoh chances a glance behind, but Amidamaru is still out of commission. Biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, he turns to Ren and says.</p><p>“Can you handle it?”</p><p>His friend spares him a derisive glance, but Yoh can see the tight line of his shoulders and the way Ren clutches his weapon.</p><p>“That is a God-class guardian spirit.” Faust observes, even as Eliza materializes next to him, weapon held high. “It will be a difficult fight.”</p><p>Yoh’s mouth is open, though he’s unsure what he wants to say. Still, he doesn’t manage to utter anything because the clamor of the crowd increases until the jeers and the hollers are indistinguishable from one another. The other shamans gathered in the village cheer for the X-Laws and throw taunts in their direction. </p><p>“These bastards…” Horo trails off, torn between agreeing with the general population and feeling angry that they dare treat them like this.</p><p>Yoh, on the other hand, was expecting such an experience. He knew that joining up with Hao would probably mean not being welcome anywhere by the general shaman population.</p><p>This is why his brother’s followers all walk in groups, why they avoid towns filled with other shamans and prefer to camp out in the desert. It is why Hao does not hesitate to sidestep any human and nonhuman settlement in his way.</p><p>So he can’t help it when the apology escapes his mouth.</p><p>“Sorry guys.” His friends turn to him in confusion. Yoh watches the strange baby judge them all indifferently. “This is all because we joined up with Hao.”</p><p>Ren clicks his tongue as if Yoh just pointed out something stupid. “Obviously I was expecting this to happen. Be serious Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh blinks when his friend only orders Bason into the sacred sword of the Tao family.</p><p>“Master Yoh, you don’t have to worry!” Ryu salutes as Tokagero slips into the wooden sword. “We’ve been expecting such treatment.”</p><p>“Speak for yourselves! My stand-up shows are suddenly banned from all shaman-only clubs.” Despite the slight, Choco brandishes his claws, orange furyoku slipping out of them.</p><p>“I don’t know, Choco. I only hear good news!” Horo sniggers as Kororo enters the icupasuy.</p><p>“Take that back, Horo!”</p><p>Jeanne seems about done with their chatter because she looks up at Shamash and her eyes narrow in a silent order. The baby’s hand-that-is-actually-an-axe moves up.</p><p>“Here it comes!”</p><p>Yoh’s jaw clenches at Faust’s warning. He squares his shoulders, praying inside his mind that his friends can take this thing on and get out with all limbs intact.</p><p>Though before any attack can be launched, a wall of fire surrounds the entire area.</p><p>“I’m sorry to cut this party short.”</p><p>Yoh watches as his brother materializes from the fire. The small curly haired boy stands next to where Hao sits on his guardian ghost’s forearm.</p><p>“Hao!” Lyserg’s shout is the loudest of them all, though it is echoed by the entire gathering.</p><p>Jeanne looks on with a heavy-set expression on her face. Shamash moves as if to attack, but the spirit of fire shoots a vortex of fire in its direction. It does not do much, but it at least serves to disorient Jeanne’s guardian ghost long enough to extract Yoh and his friends from the tight situation.</p><p>Yoh strains not to yelp when the large hand of the fire spirit clenches around their forms, lifting them into the air with more than just the force of its spirit. Fire seems to slip in between them, rendering them immobile in the giant’s clenched fist.</p><p>“Saving your brother from sure peril, I see.” Marco strives to sneer, but Hao barely affords him a glance.</p><p>His gaze never waivers from Yoh’s wide eyed shock. “I suppose that you are right.” Hao looks down to Jeanne and her band of merry followers. “Thanks for keeping them entertained.”</p><p>“You can run, but for how long?” Jeanne’s question is rhetoric, yet Hao answers nonetheless. His laugh is anything but joyful.</p><p>“I will continue running in the sure direction of the Shaman Crown, while you strive to catch up to me.” The X-Laws bellow war cries and Hao’s smirk stretches wider. “Let’s see if you can.”</p><p>Along with those words, the world becomes a flurry of red flames and Yoh closes his eyes tightly against the onslaught.</p><p>When they land, they are back in the desert. Darkness stretches around them, a sign that there isn’t any sliver of civilization a few miles away. And maybe there isn’t a village anymore.</p><p>Hao might have burned it down. Or maybe they just flew very far away.</p><p>Yoh will take the latter.</p><p>He will also take whatever ridicule comes from the other shaman of their generation before any of the destruction his brother instilled on the town when they took their leave.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Wha…”</p><p>Manta gapes at the destruction around him.</p><p>After Anna’s declaration that they should get a move on, they did just that, even if the process was slow and self-consuming among other things. Their trek through the canyon and then the desert was filled with a suffocating silence. It was stuffed with depressive thoughts and tears and Manta almost drowned in it.</p><p>Jun had an angry phase.</p><p>Tamao hasn’t stopped crying for three hours.</p><p>Lee Pai Long’s glares could light a man on fire.</p><p>Yoh and Hao’s father, Mikihisa, left them with a silent wave and went who knows where.</p><p>And Anna – she has been unnervingly subdued.</p><p>She hasn’t given Manta an order in more than half a day and the boy feels even more untethered because of this.</p><p>Their slow steps and dragged legs are the reason why they took so long to get to civilization. Tamao mentioned that there is a settlement if they continue forward, and five miles out, Manta spotted a grey streak on the black sky.</p><p>Alarms rang through his head the whole way there and when they finally broke into the town proper, they were met with nothing but destruction.</p><p>A sizable chunk of the village was destroyed by what looks like an explosion. There are at least five blocks suddenly torn down and irreparable.</p><p>“It’s awful!” Tamao covers her mouth with her hands as she studies the smoking remains with wide eyes.</p><p>Manta startles when a nearby mound of wood and metal shifts.</p><p>A bulky man comes forth and easily removes them, offering a helping hand to a blond man who extracts himself without looking too shabby from the debris fallen on him.</p><p>Seeing as these two are as good sources of information as any, Anna steps forth.</p><p>“What happened here?”</p><p>The blonde man stops in the process of taking off his coat and turns to them. Soot covers every inch of his face and his long, blue coat, but he is otherwise unharmed.</p><p>He scowls with enough hatred to make Manta take a step back.</p><p>“That blasted Hao was here. As you can see, it was quite a party.”</p><p>Manta’s chest tightens at the words.</p><p>“Are those the X-Laws?” Jun points to a group of white clad people walking to the open desert. Their uniforms and the blinding headlights the local authorities lit in order to inspect the damage help distinguish the X-Laws from the general darkness of their surroundings.</p><p>“Yeah, they paid us a visit.” The man’s scowl darkens. “We cornered some idiots who kept shouting about how they joined up with Hao,”</p><p>Anna and Manta exchange a knowing look, even if thinking about the guys brings nothing but pain and grief.</p><p>“And we were in the process of expelling them from the village when the X-Laws came in high and mighty.”</p><p>The bulky man growls under his breath and his companion pats him consolingly on the arm.</p><p>“Their leader was just about to wreck them up when Hao appeared and saved their asses. But he left us with this gift.” He opens his arms to encompass the smoky ruins. “Anyways, I suggest trying the inns at the other end of the village.”</p><p>With that, the two walk away, deeper into the mass of shamans gathered around the destruction.</p><p>Lee Pai Long snorts and mindlessly kicks a fuming log away. Jun turns to her guardian and Manta averts his gaze from the visible tear tracks on her face.</p><p>“We should help out and look for survivors.”</p><p>Pai Long nods gravelly and follows Jun’s lead.</p><p>Anna crosses her arms and says nothing. Manta will lie if he’d say that the silence isn’t going to kill him soon.</p><p>“Uhm, what should we do, Anna?”</p><p>Manta wonders if Tamao is aware that Anna’s shikigami were Hao’s in the first place, and that it won’t be such a good idea to join the relief efforts while using them. Manta is also incredibly useless when there is something physical to be done, and he doubts that Tamao is faring any better.</p><p>Still, he is willing to try, if only to feel less helpless and guilty.</p><p>“We should get out of their way.” Anna finally speaks, but there is something in her tone that Manta finds strange. He looks up at the girl, but outwardly he spots nothing wrong.</p><p>“But-“</p><p>It’s hard to describe it, but the blond girl’s aura is different, and Manta is unsure how to proceed. Talking with Anna is a no-go because she never talks about her feelings and she will swat him away like a fly if he tries. Manta is wary of following her, since it would bring about the same result.</p><p>So he watches her walk away, her steps brisk and never stuttering.</p><p>Tamao shuffles behind Manta, hands clenched in front of her chest and face set into an innocuous expression.</p><p>“I-I think there is something going on with Anna.” The girl confesses softly.</p><p>Manta immediately nods and returns to watch said girl disappear in an alley between two houses.</p><p>“I think so too, but I’m too afraid to ask. Do you think we should leave her alone for a bit?”</p><p>Tamao’s mouth opens and closes like a fish for two heartbeats before she hesitantly bows her head. It is as much an admission of defeat as it is an acquiescence to Manta’s question.</p><p>“Sh-She must probably be thinking about Yoh and the others. It’s possible that Anna believes it’s her fault that they left.”</p><p>Manta blinks, confused, surprised and doubtful altogether.</p><p>“What do you mean, Tamao?”</p><p>The girl rubs her forearm, uncomfortable.</p><p>“Well, she brought them the Tomb of the Shaman to read.”</p><p>“That’s stupid! The guys didn’t seem like they were being influenced by Hao! Mikihisa said the same thing.”</p><p>Tamao shrugs meekly.</p><p>“I’ve known Anna for a long time, and I’m just telling you what I think it’s going through her mind. N-Not that I would presume to know, b-but I think-!”</p><p>“It’s alright, Tamao.” Manta rushes to reassure her when she falters. “You can tell me. So why else do you think Anna is behaving like this?” He asks, genuinely curious now. </p><p>“She blames herself that she wasn’t strong enough to stop them.”</p><p>This makes a whole lot of sense, but Manta is still left at an impasse.</p><p>“So, what do you think we should do?”</p><p>Tamao glances fleetingly to the smoking ruins and then in the direction Anna disappeared.</p><p>“I think we should give her some time.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Anna collapses in her room at the inn.</p><p>She walked blindly for a while before being outside became a chore, what will all the clamor and the shamans running left and right.</p><p>So she drifted to the closest inn and demanded a single room for the night because there is no way in hell that she will share. Not when she’s feeling like the sky might open and swallow her whole.</p><p>Anna swore to herself that no one – especially no <em>boy </em>– will leave her feeling like this and yet here she is. She told herself that she will inflict the pain before she falls to suffer at anyone’s hands and yet <em>here</em> <em>she</em> <em>is</em>.</p><p>Yoh wormed his way into her heart steadily since they were ten. And as much as Anna kicked him away, he always returned, stronger and more stubborn.</p><p>Now here she is, crying over him like a complete idiot and he’s not even dead.</p><p><em>Not yet, but he will be</em>, Anna promises the empty ceiling before she erupts into such an undignified sob that her first reaction is to bury her head in the nearest pillow.</p><p>Maybe, if they feel merciful today, the spirits will grant her the small mercy of smothering herself to death with that pillow.</p><p>Anything but to have to watch with her mind’s eye yet another rendition of Yoh disappearing from her side in a vortex of fire and death.</p><p>The images get juxtaposed and suddenly his face is Hao’s face and he is wreaking destruction upon the world.</p><p>Anna shakes her head and gathers the pillow tighter around her. There is a dam and it is full and there is nothing she can do, no matter how much she denies and tries to keep her mouth shut.</p><p>She lets out a pitiful wail that splits the air and prays, prays, <em>prays</em> that the spirits keep Yoh safe.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“How are you, Jun?” Manta sips his soda, but his eyes are fixed on the disheveled woman sitting next to him at the table.</p><p>He’s only seen Jun with her hair down once before and that was when she was cuffed in her family’s dungeon. And even then, Jun did not look as bad at this.</p><p>Ren leaving with Yoh must have taken a toll on her that Manta cannot comprehend.</p><p>Jun offers such a pitiful smile that Manta tries his best not to flinch.</p><p>“I am fine.”</p><p>“Which is a lie.” Pai Long’s whisper carries over and Manta cringes while inwardly he is shocked by Pai Long’s behavior.</p><p>Jun turns her head and asks sharply. “And what is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>Pai Long clears his throat, obviously not having expected to be put on the spot. Still, he regains his composure quickly.</p><p>“Pardon my insolence, mistress Jun, but you look awful. And we all know whose fault this is.”</p><p>Manta is aware that Pai Long’s bitterness mostly extends to Ren because Jun is suffering so much right now. The martial artist has no hate for the young Tao, but for what just happened, Pai Long cannot simply forgive and forget in such a short time.</p><p>Jun scoffs and returns to her cold coffee.</p><p>“If you would be less aggrieved over my appearance and would instead dedicate that energy to finding Dobi village, I would be grateful.”</p><p>Pai Long’s jaw clenches but he bows his head quietly.</p><p>Manta twirls his fingers and prays for anything other than this discussion to happen. Tempers run high these days and Tamao had to go buy the things on Anna’s list. The itako didn’t make an appearance at their breakfast table this morning, but Manta hopes she will come downstairs soon and order them to move out.</p><p>Dobi village is close, Manta can feel it in his bones. But time is short, and they need to find it as soon as possible. He is unsure if entrance will be banned to non-combatants, but he won’t risk it.</p><p>“Yeah, we should get going.” Manta smiles amiably and says in lieu of something else to add. “There’s not much time left.”</p><p>“I don’t see you making steps in that direction, shorty.” Anna’s shadow falls over him and Manta gulps subtly.</p><p>“Anna!”</p><p>“Well?” Jun all but snaps at her. “Are we leaving already?”</p><p>Anna takes her attitude pretty graciously for someone usually impatient with rude people. Manta supposes that these days, all kinds of exceptions have to be made.</p><p>“Yes, actually.” She lifts her hand. Clamped between her fingers is a piece of paper. “I managed to find a kind soul to give me the right directions.”</p><p>Manta resolutely does not want to know. He nods along and jumps from his seat as Tamao comes back, arms full of colorful boxes.</p><p>Anna studies the miniature tower critically before she nods, perches her sunglasses on her nose and declares.</p><p>“We are moving out.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I will make a man out of you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The next day passes by in a blur because Hao insists to make the last stretch of the way to Dobi village by sundown. No one mentions the events of last evening and Yoh is partly thankful and partly seething since all that’s left of that night is the awful memory of it.</p>
<p>So he mans up, as Anna would say, and approaches Hao after dinner.</p>
<p>Their camp is on the outskirts of Dobi village, but his brother decided to stretch the time limit until the last moment, citing that there is plenty of time left to enter.</p>
<p>“Did you really have to kill so many people?”</p>
<p>It is a question without preamble and not necessarily the first thing Yoh would have usually said, but this is not a normal situation either. That blazing inferno is still embedded on the back of his eyelids.</p>
<p>“I was wondering why you’ve been so silent until now.” Hao turns a self-satisfied smile in his direction. It irks Yoh the wrong way. “Is it really bothering you so much, little brother?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Because it is the truth. It’s bothering Yoh <em>a lot.</em></p>
<p>“Well it shouldn’t.” As if it is that easy.</p>
<p>“It’s not that easy, Hao.” Yoh turns to look at his brother.</p>
<p>“Yes, it is.”</p>
<p>“No, it’s <em>not</em>!”</p>
<p>Hao raises an eyebrow, surprised that Yoh has the audacity to oppose him.</p>
<p>“You shouldn’t kill people just like that.”</p>
<p>For once, Hao decides to humor him.</p>
<p>“Then how would you like me to kill them?”</p>
<p>Yoh all but balks at the bland inquiry. “How about you don’t?”</p>
<p>It’s Hao’s turn to look at him like he’s grown a second head. Then he starts laughing, which irks Yoh wrong again. “You truly are so naïve.”</p>
<p>“Look, Hao-“</p>
<p>“And you need training, little brother, because you and your friends are still so very weak and useless.”</p>
<p>The abrupt change in subject derails Yoh’s thought process long enough to give Hao all the opening he needs.</p>
<p>“Look at your guardian ghost. He’s a mess.” As if to prove his point, Yoh does spot Amidamaru a few ways away, still in that same strange state of bad TV reception. “And you are too. If you’ve fought Jeanne and the X-Laws, they would have wiped the floor with you.”</p>
<p>Filled with the increasing need to defend his friends, Yoh feels the need to point out. “The guys could have hold her off-“</p>
<p>“Maybe Jeanne, yes.” Hao agrees so easily it takes Yoh aback. “But if the other X-Laws were added into the mix, it would have spelled disaster. Even little Lyserg was enough firepower to bring them to their knees.”</p>
<p>Yoh grits his teeth so hard he feels the pain.</p>
<p>“Then what do you propose?”</p>
<p>“You read my book.” Hao turns to gaze out onto the purple horizon. “And you’ve taken my power. Now you will start listening to my advice while I’m training you.”</p>
<p>The twists and turns that continue to spring up make Yoh’s mind whirl. His brows draw up on his forehead and he asks uncertainly.</p>
<p>“<em>You</em> want to train <em>us</em>?”</p>
<p>Hao snickers behind his hand. His knee rises and he props the arm on it.</p>
<p>“It’s not that I necessarily <em>want</em> to. It’s that you’re too weak not to make me look bad when you fight in my name.” As if to underline the seriousness of the mater, Hao turns to Yoh again. For a moment, he thinks his brother’s eyes are flaming red, but the color disappears as fast as it comes. “And I won’t allow anyone to fall below my standards when they fight in my name.”</p>
<p>Yoh supposes that he should have expected that. His brother has a thousand year old reputation to uphold and he won’t even let his little brother off the hook. Though now he is curious about the training, how it will be and what, exactly, Hao will have them do.</p>
<p>But Yoh will probably find out soon enough, so he decides that he should start on his own task as well.</p>
<p>He returns a grin to his brother.</p>
<p>“Fine then. I will make you a deal.”</p>
<p>The silence that comes from Hao’s side is expectant so Yoh hums and continues, directing his gaze out onto the sprawling horizon as well.</p>
<p>“None of my friends will dirty your name with their subpar fighting,” Hao’s snort peppers through his words and Yoh’s grin widens, “and we’ll take all the training you dish out.”</p>
<p>“But?”</p>
<p>“But,” Yoh shifts and faces Hao, legs crossed and arms behind him, a counterbalance as he leans back, “you promise me that you will stop killing innocent people without a good reason.”</p>
<p>Yoh knows how important wording is – he’s been around Anna and his grandfather long enough. He chose a simple, descriptive task for Hao to accomplish and from there on out, Yoh might be inclined to expand it when the time comes.</p>
<p>“I should very much hope you won’t live to regret those words.” Hao turns to Yoh, cheek resting on his clenched fist and a mocking twist to his lips. “But I suppose you will find that out very soon, little brother.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Dobi village proves a treasure cave full of uncharted wonders.</p>
<p>Manta’s mouth remains firmly open as they wander around, trying to find an inn to stay at.</p>
<p>Anna has one in mind, or so she declared after they first laid eyes upon the village, but Manta does not dare wonder how she knows where to go or why she has preferences in a village she’s never visited before.</p>
<p>Dobi village is nestled underground, in a very large cave that gathers around the stone huts and encloses them in a fishbowl-like rock formation. The walls climb up into the sky, where they promptly stop and leave way for the real sun to shine.</p>
<p>The circle of sky looks a little too perfect to not be shaman-made, but Manta has seen much crazier. Cutting rock while protecting this ancient town must not have been too hard. The ruins outside were incredible, but inside the atmosphere is made even better by the fact that the village is <em>alive</em>.</p>
<p>Wide, breathtaking streets filled with shops guide them from neighborhood to neighborhood. They firmly bypass the one with the most luxurious hotels, even if inwardly Manta weeps because he has the money and the means. But then he sees the exchange currency for Dobi dollar to normal dollar and his eyes nearly bulge out of his head.</p>
<p>No amount of family connections will be able to get him a discount and it’s not like his human family will have much impact on a bunch of shamans anyways. Manta also fears the call of doom from his father, should he splurge such insane amounts of money so mindlessly. So he leaves Anna to it, trusting in her greediness to guide them true.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Manta enjoys sightseeing as much as he can, while doing his best to keep up with the group.</p>
<p>They stop in front of an old hotel that houses a series of small stone huts, each with two floors. Anna enters the reception situated on ground level and negotiates with the old woman behind the counter long enough that Jun loses her patience and joins in.</p>
<p>Manta finds out that the Asakura clan has a good relationship with the owners of the hotel, so they get a whole hut to themselves. There are two rooms, a large kitchen and a living room, and despite the fact that it literally has no windows because the rock is warm enough through the night, the furnishings are nice even though they are old.</p>
<p>Manta has to share the room with Pai Long and Jun, but that is far from bothersome. The man hardly functions like a normal human, but he does sleep if he wants to so Manta won’t have to wake up and die of a heart attack because he found Pai Long watching him sleep. And Jun is cool and will order Pai Long off playing pranks on Manta, so she can stay.</p>
<p>In a rather sadistic twist, Anna decides to share with Tamao, which leaves them a bed open, though Anna assures them that Horo’s brother, Pirika, might spring up at some point to watch her brother compete.</p>
<p>Which, in retrospect, will not go over that well, but Manta is powerless to do anything about it, so he just mentally prepares himself. He knows Pirika pretty well, so he expects a full out crying fest, complete with expletives when she finds out where her brother is.</p>
<p>But until that happens, Manta deposits his luggage and jogs back into the living room where the others have gathered.</p>
<p>“Where do you guys want to eat?”</p>
<p>Jun taps her chin thoughtfully, but Anna’s head swivels left and right as if she is searching for something.</p>
<p>“Maybe we can eat European today.”</p>
<p>Manta is not opposed to Jun’s proposal, but his attention is still fully riveted on Anna, who has not made any comment about how there will be only Japanese for lunch.</p>
<p>Truthfully, he is much more captivated with searching out the crowd in the direction she is looking in that he almost misses the building they enter. Manta stumbles inside the café-restaurant after Pai Long and looks around curiously.</p>
<p>It is a normal establishment, decorated in western style. There aren’t many patrons inside and they choose a table near the wall, far away from the other patrons that they will not be bothered or overheard. Manta worries at the seams of the red and yellow tablecloth until the waiter comes with their menus.</p>
<p>But it turns out that the waiter is not really a waiter – it’s Silva and Manta balks at the corny apron he wears over his clothes.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Patch café. How may I help you today?” The usual rendition spills between Silva’s lips, but his eyes are searching around them and in a second Manta realizes who he’s searching for. His heart aches at the thought.</p>
<p>“We need to talk, Silva.” Anna says gravely and Silva takes less than a minute to return without the apron.</p>
<p>The expression on his face says it all, but Manta still hopes that he will take it better than any of them did. Though considering how dear Yoh is to him, Manta kind of doubts it. The boy is under no illusion about the fact that Silva treats Yoh more like a friend and less like a simple participant, but that might be just because Yoh has impressed the Patch official when they first met.</p>
<p>Manta cannot help but be grateful knowing that they have a council member on their side.</p>
<p>“What happened? Where are Yoh and the others?” Silva sits down at the head of the table and looks pointedly at Anna.</p>
<p>“As Yohmei Asakura ordered, I brought the Tomb of the Shaman for Yoh and the others to read.”</p>
<p>“That is a very dangerous book.”</p>
<p>“I know that.” Anna says, clipped. “After that, the boys returned and seemed fine. And then Hao appeared, and they left with him.”</p>
<p>With the turn the story makes, it takes Silva a few seconds to make the connection. When he does, everything on the table clatters when he slams his palms down on its surface and sits up with a ferocious scowl on his face.</p>
<p>“IS THAT TRUE?!”</p>
<p>The whole restaurant turns to Silva and Manta shrinks in his seat because the man looks like he could care less right now about anything but the fact that Yoh and his friends left with Hao of all people.</p>
<p>“It’s true, Silva.” Anna says tiredly. “Please stop making a scene.”</p>
<p>The man sits down without preamble and the table clatters again.</p>
<p>Jun sighs and deposits her cup of tea back down.</p>
<p>“This is impossible. I never thought-“ Silva shakes his head. “I honestly thought that Yoh will not fall for Hao’s schemes.”</p>
<p>His head snaps up and he watches each of them in turn.</p>
<p>“Were they being controlled, after all?” He asks carefully.</p>
<p>“No.” Jun replies, a tad bitterly.</p>
<p>Silva frowns. “Then <em>why</em> did Yoh agree to go with Hao?”</p>
<p>“That is the question we’ve been asking ourselves.” Manta confesses with a tiny, conciliatory smile. “Yoh had a strange expression on his face one moment and the next, he was taking Hao’s hand.”</p>
<p>On top of the table, Silva’s hands tighten into fists.</p>
<p>Jun subtly grips her mug closer.</p>
<p>“Then why-“</p>
<p>“It is useless to ask this now.” Anna sips from her own cup of green tea calmly. “What’s more important is finding out if they are alright and what they are planning to do.”</p>
<p>“And do you wish me to be that middleman?” The Patch official questions when he looks up.</p>
<p>“If you are available.” The blond girl answers simply. “Silva, do you know about Yoh and Hao?”</p>
<p>Silva’s lips press together until they almost disappear.</p>
<p>“I had a feeling.”</p>
<p>“Well, your feeling was right.” Anna does not pamper Silva with any sugar-coated words, that is for sure. “They are twins and it’s possible that Yoh either went with Hao out of his own volition for whatever reason, or Hao is indeed controlling him. But the latter is less feasible.”</p>
<p>“And why is that?”</p>
<p>“Mikihisa was of the same opinion. Besides, Yoh did not behave any differently. He kept acting normal up until he disappeared.”</p>
<p>“The same goes for the other guys.” Jun adds.</p>
<p>Anna meets Silva’s narrowed eyes.</p>
<p>“It would be a good idea to keep an eye on Hao’s movements too.”</p>
<p>The councilman nods tightly and stands up.</p>
<p>“Thank you for informing me. I will try to do as you said. If I can find anything, I will inform you at once.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Anna closes her eyes while Manta watches Silva turn in the direction of the counter. “And Silva?”</p>
<p>Silva stops, back rigid and waiting for the girl’s last words of advice.</p>
<p>“Don’t do anything stupid. Let’s leave things to Yoh and the boys.”</p>
<p>Manta sees her eyes open and thinks that maybe he imagines the glistening sheen of tears there.</p>
<p>“They might know what they’re doing.”</p>
<p>“…Alright.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tell me again why you agreed to let him train us?” Ren asks this for the third time since they got to Dobi village and the fifth time this morning alone.</p>
<p>The test they received from the King of Spirits was nothing short of eloquent in its intentions. Yoh already received enough confirmation that it was the same for everyone else, but he thinks that’s not necessarily true. Because in Yoh’s case, the King of Spirits left him behind with one last address. A question, more likely, that is still rattling about his head a day after it was posed to him.</p>
<p>
  <em>Do you trust in the path you’ve chosen, Yoh Asakura?</em>
</p>
<p>He doesn’t dare utter it out loud and neither does he ask anyone if their test diverged like his did. None of the others mentioned such a thing so Yoh must be the exception. But why?</p>
<p>Well, he knows why.</p>
<p>But what exactly did the King of Spirits mean by that?</p>
<p>Other than to unsettle him, Yoh isn’t really sure.</p>
<p>“Yoh!”</p>
<p>Yoh’s head snaps up. His friends are gathered in a tight group in front of him. Further back, Hao sits on an upturned boulder. The small boy – whose name is, apparently, Opacho – stands on the ground next to his brother. Everyone else has been ordered to disperse and are probably taking a look around Dobi village, which is something that Yoh dreams of, but finds no chance of necessarily happening soon.</p>
<p>Not right now anyway.</p>
<p>Not when Hao is watching them like a predator ready to strike.</p>
<p>His words from their last night in the desert echo in Yoh’s head and the younger twin feels beads of sweat accumulate on his forehead.</p>
<p>This is just peachy.</p>
<p>“Hey, Earth to Yoh! You there?” Choco snaps his fingers in front of his face, successfully waking Yoh up from his reverie.</p>
<p>He grins in their direction. “Yeah! What’s up?”</p>
<p>“<em>Uhh</em>,” Horo exchanges a meaningful look with each one of his friends and Yoh wonders when they became such good sports with each other, “we were wondering why you decided to let your psychotic twin brother train us?”</p>
<p>“What does it even mean – this training?” Faust’s question is too casual to be real.</p>
<p>Yoh scratches the back of his head. He chances a look at Hao, wondering if he can receive a little help.</p>
<p>Hao takes pity on him because he stands up and walks up to them.</p>
<p>“<em>This training</em>,” Hao adds a tad of flair when he turns on his heel and stops right next to Yoh. The double image they create makes a few pair of brows unconsciously shoot up, “is supposed to make you more useful to me and my cause. Now that you’ve officially joined me,”</p>
<p>Ren scoffs and crosses his arms.</p>
<p>Horo scowls, but it’s less ferocious than two days ago.</p>
<p>Ryu rubs the back of his neck, uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Choco purses his lips and pouts.</p>
<p>And Faust – Faust just nods with a placid smile on his lips.</p>
<p>“You <em>will</em> fight in my name in the upcoming second round of the Shaman Tournament. This means facing down a plethora of people who hate me, starting with the X-Laws, who have been a thorn in my back for long enough.”</p>
<p>“Dude, I think you might mean <em>everyone</em>.” Horo corrects with much hesitation.</p>
<p>“Man, are we gonna get assaulted again?!” Choco clutches at his hair with desperation. He certainly does not wish for a repeat of last time.</p>
<p>“Oh, yes. Certainly.” Hao agrees instantly and with an inordinate amount of glee.</p>
<p>Horo and Choco groan loudly.</p>
<p>Yoh sighs, already feeling very tired.</p>
<p>“Right.” He agrees even though he’s dreading the very thought. “So, we gotta get stronger and Hao offered to help us.”</p>
<p>“More like I don’t want to be dragged down by you.” His brother amends.</p>
<p>Yoh rolls his eyes when Ren’s hackles instantly rise. Even Horo does not look too far from jumping the immortal shaman.</p>
<p>“Let’s begin then.”</p>
<p>Yoh knows that Ren is impatient to see what Hao can offer and he’d lie if he’d say that he isn’t a little bit either.</p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>But instead of doing anything remotely related to training, Hao just sits back down on the grass.</p>
<p>Yoh looks up, at the tall, choppy roof of the cave; his gaze flits to the bright light of the Star Sanctuary; his ears catch the rustling of the leaves as the wind rushes between the trees populating the forest they are camping in. He tries to find patience, but he cannot.</p>
<p>And Amidamaru is still wavy like a bad rendition of a broken cassette.</p>
<p>“Do you know what’s going on with Amidamaru?”</p>
<p>“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” Hao smirks up at him. “Your guardian ghost is trying to adapt to the suddenly large amount of furyoku you possess. But it’s a tough process to undergo when you’ve been so out of commission from a good fight. I will have you meditate next to Amidamaru for a bit, Yoh. Gather your furyoku and evenly distribute it. Then we will see what we can do.”</p>
<p>By the end of the explanation, Yoh’s brows are nearly touching his hairline. Without a lot of things that he can understand, he decides to start asking for clarifications.</p>
<p>“Distribute it where?”</p>
<p>His brother shoots him a look that would be scathing, had Yoh been the type to get offended. But as it is, he only continues to look askance at him.</p>
<p>Hao sighs and turns to the group at large for the moment.</p>
<p>Most of them wear the same dumb look of confusion that is so very present on his little brother’s face and he abstains from cursing his plainly stupid idea of offering to help these losers.</p>
<p>He should have wiped them all out and be on his way. That way he could have concentrated on Yoh’s training more, but now he doubts that such a thing is possible anymore without being called a hypocrite and that’s the last thing on the list that Hao wants to be called.</p>
<p>So he soldiers on because he trusts Tao Ren and Faust to, at least, be able to keep up.</p>
<p>“First things first. I will tell you about the second round of the Tournament.”</p>
<p>This time he holds everyone’s attention, which is something he never thought achievable from these group of clowns.</p>
<p>“The second round will be fought in teams of three.”</p>
<p>“WHAT!?”</p>
<p>Hao pinches the bridge of his nose as the incredible ear-splitting sound washes over him. Opacho whimpers and he sighs again.</p>
<p>“What do you mean – teams of <em>three</em>?!”</p>
<p>“That’s stupid!”</p>
<p>“Team up with <em>two </em>idiots?”</p>
<p>Hao glares at Tao Ren. “That’s my line. And yes, each of you will split in teams of three. Now let’s see it.”</p>
<p>They all blink collectively, which enforces Hao’s theory that they only share one brain cell between them.</p>
<p>“The teams.” He clarifies when there’s no incoming answer.</p>
<p>Ren scowls, but he shatters Hao’s expectations when he drags both Horo and Chocolove by the neck closer to him.</p>
<p>“I will take these two idiots then.”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>“That’s our line! And why do we have to make a team with you!”</p>
<p>“Because I said so.” Ren answers easily.</p>
<p>Hao moves away from the sight they make and rests his gaze on his brother, who is currently assaulted by both Ryu and Faust.</p>
<p>“I will follow you to the end of the world, master Yoh!” The older man declares, the sun glinting down on him, like a blessing in disguise.</p>
<p>Hao snorts.</p>
<p>“Me too. Please count on me!” Faust bows from the waist, too polite and formal for the occasion.</p>
<p>Hao takes a delightful amount of glee in shattering their dreams.</p>
<p>One by one.</p>
<p>“That will be impossible, I’m afraid. Yoh will be on my team.”</p>
<p>Everyone is suddenly glaring at him, more so Ryu and Faust. Hao’s smirk widens more.</p>
<p>“Uhm,” his brother begins smartly, “don’t you think that will be a little overkill?”</p>
<p>He does make a point, but Hao has long ago decided that he will keep an eye on his brother.</p>
<p>“It will be overkill whatever team I’m on.” Hao says dryly and enjoys the way some let it get to them. Ruffling their feathers is becoming a favorite past time lately. “And I already decided that, so the matter is set.” He glances then to the remaining two without a team. “But I do have someone you can take on your team. Don’t worry, he is a reasonable fellow and he won’t get in your way.”</p>
<p>Ryu looks doubtful but Faust sighs and silently agrees because he is the smartest out of them and knows when to take the loss.</p>
<p>“I guess it’s fine.” Ryu’s eyes are slightly teary and Yoh pats his arm in an abysmal attempt at consolation.</p>
<p>But now that Hao knows what teams to expect out of them, he directs his most scorching glare – without having to actually set him on fire – onto Yoh.</p>
<p>“You better get going, little brother.”</p>
<p>Yoh gulps and jogs towards Amidamaru’s useless form a few meters away. Hao certainly hopes, for Yoh’s good, that he won’t fall asleep while meditating lest he wants his ass set on fire.</p>
<p>Turning back to Yoh’s friends, Hao ponders the best way to deal with them. He’s had this idea running through his mind for a while, but he is unsure whether this type of training will benefit them in the long run. Still, anything is better than their current power level.</p>
<p>“As for you five, I suppose that a crash course in the five elements will do you some good.”</p>
<p>The suggestion seems to take them all by surprise.</p>
<p>“Don’t you want to see what we can do first… or something?” Ryu asks doubtfully.</p>
<p>But Hao has seen enough even if he hasn’t seen it all. So he gives them a smile, one cold enough to freeze whatever damage his guardian ghost can deal on an unsuspecting enemy.</p>
<p>“Not really. I’ve seen enough.” His eyes open and rest on the five shamans before him. “What I want is to see if you are able to overcome the class of shamans you belong in now.”</p>
<p>“And what class is that?” The spite in Ren’s voice is entertaining, to say the least.</p>
<p>Hao has a simple answer to give them, though he is aware that they will only see the label and not the chance to get out.</p>
<p>“Middle-class and stuck there forever.”</p>
<p>As expected, most of them explode in violent protest, but Tao Ren surprises him when he remains calm and composed. The light behind those yellow eyes is calculating as he watches Hao watch him.</p>
<p>Hao slaps a glare on the rest in turn.</p>
<p>“Your chances of getting out of that category are rapidly dwindling. I suggest you start listening now.”</p>
<p>At least they know when to shut their mouths. Hao bites whatever acid observation awaits on the tip of his tongue and decides to take a leap of faith. He already broke his own rule when he accepted more than Yoh to join his team, so he might say that he is outrightly flying freestyle now.</p>
<p>Hao hopes that, at least, all this bothersome effort will pay off.</p>
<p>“The four main elements, as you know, are what create this world. The last one – the spirit – bridges the afterlife with this plane of existence and it also represents everything unseen from time, to space and to the universe. I mastered all five of those elements, which is why I am able to reincarnate and why no one will be able to ever beat me.”</p>
<p>Yoh does not dare to open his eyes, but in spite of everyone’s fears, he did not fall asleep. Rather, he’s patiently listening to his brother, soaking in what he says. The more Hao speaks, though, the more Yoh realizes that he might have made a good choice. If his brother’s words are to be trusted, even if Yoh somehow managed to beat him, he would simply reincarnate five hundred years from now.</p>
<p>It would be useless, all of it.</p>
<p>Effort wasted and his life all but spent on a stupid crusade that his older brother will win anyhow. Because if Hao has anything more than furyoku, it is patience. He’s waited a thousand years and Yoh has a feeling that he can wait five millenniums if that’s what it will take.</p>
<p>“Stop boasting and just say what you want from us, dude!” Horo urges impatiently, already sick of Hao’s disagreeable personality.</p>
<p>This kid needs a good beating or at least some lessons in normal societal norms.</p>
<p>“I want you to learn to master the elements.” His words bring a wobbly pause to the tense atmosphere floating above the group like a straight up ghost. “Not all of them, of course.” Hao clarifies. “That would be impossible for you. But right now, one will suffice. If you can do that by the time of my first fight in the Tournament, then you may get to live.”</p>
<p>Ren rightfully frowns. “That’s a tad stupid, isn’t it? You can have a fight tomorrow for all we know.”</p>
<p>Hao chuckles at the audacity, but he supposes that the Chinese boy has a point. “Then I suggest you hurry up.”</p>
<p>“I’m more worried about the ‘you may get to live’ part.” Ryu glances from his precious master Yoh to Ren and back again.</p>
<p>Obviously, Hao catches it with professional expertise.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry – Yoh will have to learn along with you as well.” He turns to extend a glance at his little brother, sitting still and supposedly meditating very hard. “But that only happens if he can evolve his relationship with his guardian ghost.”</p>
<p>There is a bead of sweat shining on Yoh’s forehead and it amuses Hao greatly. He turns a glare back on the group of idiots, standing there with open mouths and absent brains.</p>
<p>“What are you waiting for?”</p>
<p>“A list of instructions!” Horo exclaims.</p>
<p>In the background, Chocolove materializes with a piece of paper with random squiggles and shakes it pointedly.</p>
<p>Hao exhales, suddenly incredibly tired of babysitting this horde of hopeless people. He refuses to believe that he is actually forced to do this.</p>
<p>“Meditation. Concentrate on the nature surrounding you. Search for the element that calls out to you. Focus your furyoku and interact with it.” His eyes narrow hatefully. “Do you also wish for me to hold your hand while you are at it?”</p>
<p>Ren breaks into a snicker. Ryu rubs his nose, wooden sword resting on his shoulder. It is, of course, Horo who has to have the last word.</p>
<p>“I don’t know dude, I still don’t know you that well.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately for him, he will have to learn that in Hao’s world, he always has the last word.</p>
<p>Horo and the others yelp and scatter away as a wall of fire erupts from the ground at their feet. Hao watches them run around like mindless chickens for a total of five seconds before they realize that there is no danger.</p>
<p>Yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, master Yohmei.”</p>
<p>Manta looks up for a second before returning to his laptop.</p>
<p>“Of course. I know that, but-“</p>
<p>He shifts in his seat and tries to concentrate on the site he is surfing.</p>
<p>“I see. Well that is to be expected.”</p>
<p>There is a fly in the room, and it likes to land on his screen, much to Manta’s continuous aggravation.</p>
<p>“I assure you that I did not know anything-“</p>
<p>Manta sighs and looks around for Lee Pai Long, before he remembers that he went out shopping with Jun.</p>
<p>“Yes, master Yohmei.”</p>
<p>Manta rests his forehead against the edge of the table, wishing that Tamao wouldn’t have skipped lunch to go on errands.</p>
<p>“I promise you that I will. Thank you.”</p>
<p>Anna returns the receptor to its rightful place and turns to glare at Manta as the boy hits his head on the table.</p>
<p>“You seem free, shorty.”</p>
<p>Manta releases a pitiful sound in return.</p>
<p>“Good.” The girl rests her hands on her hips. “Then you can accompany me out in town. We need to scout out the place.”</p>
<p>At the idea of scouting out something, Manta looks up with a glimmer of excitement.</p>
<p>“What are we scouting out?”</p>
<p>“The village, mostly.”</p>
<p>Which means more shops and Manta wants to cry.</p>
<p>“Since Silva is so useless, it is up to us to sniff out where Hao might have hidden Yoh and the others.”</p>
<p>Silva barely had two days to do something about it – barring restaurant shifts and council duties – but Anna seems sincere in her intentions, so Manta does not hesitate to nod and join her.</p>
<p>The rounds, as expected, obviously turn out more on the side of shopping than really looking for clues to Hao’s hidden castle or something. </p>
<p>Manta is outrightly weeping as Anna finishes negotiating for the fifth key chain of that day. The box is, as per custom, deposited in Manta’s waiting arms.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the small tower obscures his field of view enough that he bumps into Anna’s back when she unexpectedly stops in the middle of the street.</p>
<p>“Anna? What’s going on?”</p>
<p>But Anna is occupied and ignores him. Manta sidesteps her and his eyebrows shoot up onto his forehead when he spots what got Anna’s attention.</p>
<p>There is a large crowd gathered in the street, listening to some shaman preaching about the end of the world. What is different from any gathering of lunatics is a person with blue hair that is so reminiscent of Horo and the pink cardigan with traditional northern inscriptions-</p>
<p>“Pirika?!”</p>
<p>Seemingly waiting for the confirmation, Anna steps forth and fishes said girl out of the crowd.</p>
<p>“Anna! Manta!” Pirika smiles at them warmly. “It’s good to see you guys!”</p>
<p>But Manta is worried.</p>
<p>“What were you doing there, Pirika?”</p>
<p>He eyes the questionable crowd warily.</p>
<p>The girl shrugs and Anna snorts softly.</p>
<p>“He was saying something about the end of the world. It seemed interesting.”</p>
<p>Manta can find other things to find interesting, but to each their own.</p>
<p>“How did you get to Dobi village?” He asks as they walk behind Anna to the newest, unofficial headquarters for their group – the Patch café.</p>
<p>“I followed the map, of course.” Pirika explains patiently as they take a seat at a table outside. She takes out a crumpled paper out of her bag. “Kalim sells them online at a very cheap price.”</p>
<p>As if summoned, said man’s head pops out of the small take-out window of the shop and says. “It is a perfectly legal business!”</p>
<p>Manta chuckles but Anna steadfastly ignores him.</p>
<p>Pirika hums under her breath and beams when Kalim comes over with their orders.</p>
<p>And then the fated question comes, and Manta sobers instantly and starts to sweat.</p>
<p>“So, where are Horo and the guys? How’s my brother doing? Did they have any fights?”</p>
<p>Scratch that, the girl has enough questions to fill up a whole afternoon. Manta exhales and looks up at Anna, silently passing her the torch to handle the situation.</p>
<p>But it proves to be a bad idea because Anna spills it all out without much thought about who she’s talking to.</p>
<p>“Your brother went with Yoh when he left to join Hao. And now they are probably somewhere in the village with him and his gang of dangerous shamans.”</p>
<p>Pirika could be carved out of stone, she is so silent. Manta tries to take advantage of what little quiet there still is and adds in, hoping to remedy some of the damage that Anna has dealt.</p>
<p>“But we think they are fine. The, uh, guys seemed to know what they were doing.”</p>
<p>“And if you’re wondering why Yoh decided to join Hao, we don’t know either.” Anna dishes another terrible truth.</p>
<p>Manta sputters.</p>
<p>“B-But they are more powerful than before! Because they read the Tomb of the Shaman and gained a lot of power.”</p>
<p>“If you want to know what the Tomb of the Shaman is, it is the original Hao’s book that contains all of his thoughts and teachings.”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Manta agrees a little too enthusiastically to be entirely sane. He is tempted to poke Pirika to make sure that she is still alive. “Though they weren’t controlled or anything when they got out!”</p>
<p>“At least that’s what we think.”</p>
<p><em>Oh, she’s definitely doing this out of spite</em>, Manta thinks as his soul shrivels up inside his chest.</p>
<p>Anna and Manta don’t have to wait long for a reaction out of Pirika.</p>
<p>A loud thump announces that the girl has fainted and fell on the bench.</p>
<p>Anna sighs in relief and stands up.</p>
<p>“I’m glad that’s over and done with.”</p>
<p><em>Is it, really?!,</em> Manta thinks with nothing short of desperation.</p>
<p>“Stay with Pirika, Manta, until I find Pai Long so that we can bring her back to the hotel with us.”</p>
<p>Manta metaphorically holds his breath until they safely arrive at the hotel.</p>
<p>It takes Pirika one hour more to wake up, but it’s good that they aren’t still in town. Her cries would have echoed through the whole village.</p>
<p>As it is, only their neighbors might have something to complain about since the noise has reached new heights. Manta is unsure how someone could cry for so long and only get stronger.</p>
<p>“Hey, Anna?” He has to shout, but even then, Anna does not give any outward sign that she heard him. So he reaches out to pat her arm.</p>
<p>He should have expected it out of Anna. The girl pops one earplug out as she turns to him.</p>
<p>“Yes, Manta? What do you want?”</p>
<p>Manta swallows back his irritation and smiles amicably.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t we stop Pirika before she wakes up the whole village?”</p>
<p>Anna takes one look at the slobbering mess and balks.</p>
<p>“Good luck with that, shorty. Give me a pat when you manage to stop her.”</p>
<p>Manta sighs, used to being the bearer of the worst of tasks. He enlists Tamao to help and Lee Pai Long to smile nicely in the background and between the three of them, they manage to stop Pirika for long enough to listen to reason.</p>
<p>“But, but, but, <em>but</em>! <em>Why</em>!?”</p>
<p>Manta scratches his head, at a loss.</p>
<p>“We don’t know that either-“</p>
<p>“I mean, I get Yoh going with his stupid twin brother of evil!” Pirika sniffles and flicks her hair over her shoulder. “I kind of expected that out of him, to be honest.” She misses entirely the dark glare Anna shoots her. “But why Horo?! What has my brother got to do with Yoh’s brother?”</p>
<p>She gasps.</p>
<p>“Maybe Yoh <em>forced </em>him to go!”</p>
<p>Her fist falls onto her open palm.</p>
<p>“Yes, that must be it!”</p>
<p>Jun rests her head in her palm, amused more than anything.</p>
<p>Manta shakes his head, but it is Anna who speaks with all the acid rage she holds inside.</p>
<p>“You are getting ahead of yourself, blue head. Horo followed Yoh of his own volition.”</p>
<p>Pirika frowns at her and purses her lips.</p>
<p>“What for?”</p>
<p>“We don’t know that either.” Manta’s shoulders droop at the notion. “But I’m sure that Yoh and the others must have a plan.”</p>
<p>“The… boys,” Jun says tentatively, ”may be onto something that we missed because we didn’t read the book. Whatever the case, for now we can do nothing for them. They are on their own and so are we.”</p>
<p>Anna nods. “Indeed. Which is why we should stop moping around and get back to business.”</p>
<p>Pirika blinks owlishly and yet she readily agrees, fired up at the thought of being useful.</p>
<p>“What do we do then?”</p>
<p>“Gather information.” Anna answers simply, but it is a double-edged sword and Manta’s upper arms can attest to that. “We are also waiting on Silva to bring us what he can find, so until then we have to wait.”</p>
<p>Tamao offers a shaky smile to the blue haired girl and pats her back consolingly. Pirika rubs her nose and nods without much of a choice.</p>
<p>Manta dreads to think what’s in store for Horo when he gets back to his sister’s side.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Use that last brain cell wisely</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>“That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”</p><p>Hao smiles, pleased with his little brother’s progress.</p><p>Yoh breathes heavily, trying to regain a semblance of air back in his lungs. His tense muscles uncoil with painful slowness and Yoh winces when he breaks his white-knuckled grip on the hilt of the red antiquity acting as his second medium for Amidamaru.</p><p>Double medium is a painful process to endure, but he can’t lie and say that it isn’t necessarily amazing. It is a rush through his veins, a cool wave washing over him before reality crashes in and the giant sword in his hands becomes incredibly heavy to hold and handle.</p><p>Yoh acted more on the last bouts of the self-preservation instinct he possesses, that all but screamed at him to move, to run, to <em>do something </em>or else he was going to be cut to shreds by the spirit of fire when Hao’s guardian ghost ceded to his master’s bored order to cut through Yoh. His patience was at its limit with his little brother and Amidamaru because they didn’t make any incredible progress since yesterday.</p><p>The tip of his sword brushes the fiery neck of the fire spirit. Yoh wants to believe that his brother’s guardian wouldn’t have really killed him, had he been unable to accomplish double medium and stop him. So he chooses not to think that Hao maybe didn’t care, especially when the proclamations that Yoh is very important to his plans are still on the table.</p><p>The sharp talons of the fire spirit clench and retract from where they stopped so very near his face. Only then does Yoh withdraw his weapon and breaks the double medium.</p><p>Amidamaru instantly floats to his side, more concerned than ecstatic that they finally did it.</p><p>“Are you alright, Yoh?”</p><p>Before Yoh can answer, his brother lands near them, the earlier expression he wore still in place.</p><p>“Of course he is.” Yoh frowns when Hao sounds so sure of himself. “He wasn’t torn to shreds, for one.”</p><p>Amidamaru glares, obviously finding no amusement in the other boy’s words.</p><p>Yoh just shakes his head, half incredulous and half wanting to laugh out loud. He settles somewhere in between, on a shaky smile because all the muscles in his body are still screaming with soreness.</p><p>“I guess so.”</p><p>“You did very well, Yoh. I am pleased.” His brother dismissed his guardian spirit with an offhand gesture. “You may take a break for now. After lunch, you can start training alongside your friends.”</p><p>Yoh grimaces but nods his head and trudges back into camp. Tents are scattered somewhere in the thickest part of the forest they have appropriated as their territory. Most flaps are down, but there are some who are drawn, revealing some of Hao’s followers relaxing inside or chatting with their friends.</p><p>Yoh steadily ignores any curious gazes trained on his back and keeps his eyes on the roaring fire and follows the smell of cooked food. Nowadays, the stares are less frequent and intense, unlike the first few days when everyone and their guardian ghosts studied him like they’ve never seen such a specimen before.</p><p>He is a social person by nature, but he never got the chance to interact with many of them. The ones he did, turned out decent, but Yoh doubts that it is the case with the majority. Hao seems to be set on keeping Yoh occupied enough to avoid any such interactions and his friends do nothing but glare at their newest group of teammates, so there is no chance of communication there.</p><p>Though he did see Ryu and Faust talk with a tall man dressed in black, that Yoh later learned will be their teammate for the second round. Luchist Lasso, as Hao introduced him, is the founder of the X-Laws and their former leader. He is also powerful enough and his brother reassured Yoh that his friends wouldn’t have to lift a finger.</p><p>Which, in retrospect, isn’t exactly a thing either Ryu or Faust would rejoice about, but Yoh trusts them to be able to solve the matter between the team. They are the oldest and even if they sometimes act more childish than the children themselves, Yoh knows they can be serious and mature when they want to.</p><p>“<em>Ughhhh</em>.” The log placed at the lip of the fireplace is a heavenly rest stop.</p><p>“Here you go.” A plate with food is thrust under his nose.</p><p>Yoh pops one eye open, mouth already salivating at the nice smell. He finds the small boy with hair as wild as Choco’s. The smile he wears is slightly strained, and Yoh expected him to be uncomfortable in his vicinity because everyone seems to be. That doesn’t stop him from offering his own smile and a nod.</p><p>“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver!” Yoh digs in as soon as the plate is in his hands. Still, his gaze falls to the side again and rests on the boy. “You’re Opacho, right?”</p><p>Opacho blinks and nods.</p><p>Yoh grins. “Nice to meet you! I’m Yoh.”</p><p>The boy scoffs, though he does take a seat next to Yoh on the log. “I know who you are, Yoh Asakura.”</p><p>“Busted!”</p><p>Opacho snickers, which is more than Yoh hoped at this stage, so he promptly relaxes and turns to concentrate on his food.</p><p>“I’m a girl, by the way.” Opacho looks up at him, eyebrows drawn up as she watches Yoh choke like an idiot. “It’s not really bothering me, but you seemed really convinced that I was a boy.”</p><p>Finally finding a free airway, Yoh breathes like his life depends on it. When he settles down somewhat, he turns to Opacho with a sheepish smile.</p><p>“I see! I’m really sorry to have assumed.”</p><p>Every polite skill he has, Yoh applies to this situation because he’s as embarrassed as he is shocked. This girl can intuit, if not outrightly read minds. It is a dangerous ability to have and Yoh only knows of Anna to be able to do such a thing.</p><p>“Master Hao can also do it, if you’re wondering. But he mostly chooses not to.” Opacho hardly seems phased, so casually she talks to Yoh.</p><p>The younger twin turns a pleading gaze to the cave roof above.</p><p>“Oh.” Which is at most what he can say about the revelation. He should have expected Hao to hold such an ability, considering his age and that the guy can do almost everything. “That’s good to know.”</p><p>“Well, master Hao can’t tap dance as far as I’m aware.”</p><p>Yoh is already crying a river when he turns his head towards her.</p><p>“Opacho, please stop reading my mind. I already have a fiancé who enjoys torturing me with that ability!”</p><p>Opacho giggles and jumps to her feet. “I will try, but I don’t promise anything!”</p><p>With that she skips away, leaving Yoh with a half full plate of cold food that his roiling stomach won’t accept anymore. With a deep sigh, he finds a shaded corner next to a tree and decides that a nap is the best alternative.</p><p>It doesn’t last long, though.</p><p>Something pokes at Yoh and try as hard as he might, he cannot discourage the poking to stop.</p><p>Opening his eyes with a fierce glare, he trains it on the person who dares interrupt his sleep and finds Hao leaning above him, stick in hand and a raised eyebrow at the look on his face.</p><p>“That is a good expression, little brother. I suggest you use it more often.”</p><p>“Only if you don’t stop doing that.” Yoh bats the stick away and sits up, mood already destroyed. “Why are you poking me with a stick, Hao?”</p><p>Hao’s lips stretch into a smile. “Because break time is over, and training is waiting for you.”</p><p>Yoh throws his head back and groans. “You’re worse than Anna, I swear!”</p><p>“I will take that as a compliment.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t!”</p><p>“<em>Yoh</em>!”</p><p>Yoh looks up at the clearing they broke into. Horo’s voice came from somewhere to the right and when he turns his head, Yoh finds his friend all but drowning below a waterfall.</p><p>“Horo!” Yoh’s skin crawls at the image. His friend looks tortured more than anything. “Are you alright, buddy?”</p><p>Horo lifts his head, which is basically the only thing above the water’s surface. Water falls on his head, flattening his blue hair to his face and Yoh might be wrong, but he thinks that his friend is crying.</p><p>“Save me from this hell, Yoh!”</p><p>“You should save your breath, Horo.” Hao is more than amused. Yoh throws him a small glare that goes unseen. “You look like you need it.”</p><p>“Screw you, man!”</p><p>A tight yell cuts Yoh’s attention short from Horo. He turns around again and spots more of his friends, scattered all around the small riverbank and clearing.</p><p>Ryu is sitting in the ground, in an honest to the Mighty Spirit hole dug into the earth. The brown ground is crumbly, and it covers half of Ryu’s torso, decidedly ruining his white suit.</p><p>The same can be said about Faust. Eliza sits in between them, offering individual water bottles with straws if they need to hydrate. Ryu seems to be the source of the yell as he seems to be trying to do something that Yoh cannot understand.</p><p>Ren and Choco are perched on top of the waterfall, on two outcroppings. The slabs of rock look slippery, even from this distance, and are thin enough that it will be difficult even for Manta to really enjoy hanging up there. Both of his friends sit cross-legged while also struggling to not fall to their deaths and meditate.</p><p>“What in the world…?” Yoh trails off, mouth falling open at the strange sight.</p><p>His brother is more than satisfied with the disastrous sight though.</p><p>“They are learning to master one of the four elements. Something that you will start doing as well.”</p><p>“Really? When?”</p><p>Hao glares, which is exactly what Yoh wanted to achieve.</p><p>“Right now. And you better not disappoint me like your loser friends.”</p><p>“Hey, I resent that!” Choco somehow manages to shout out without falling off the waterfall.</p><p>“Shut up, Choco!” Ren and Horo shout at the same time.</p><p>“Actually, I will have you stop now.” Hao says dryly.</p><p>Ren cracks his eyes open, a fierce glare already burning in his gaze. “And pray tell, why?”</p><p>“Some of my followers returned from the village and I want them to have a match with you. I haven’t yet seen how you fight in an actual battle.”</p><p>Everyone jumps to their feet, fired up and ready for the promised matches.</p><p>Ren’s face has settled into a smirk and Yoh tries to tell him to slow down, but he is already a lost cause.</p><p>“This sounds infinitely better than being half-buried in the ground.” Ryu flexes his shoulder and cracks his stiff joints.</p><p>“I completely agree with you.” Faust’s face puckers at the state of his clothes.</p><p>Hao hums, a little too entertained for Yoh’s taste.</p><p>“You shouldn’t be.”</p><p>“Good luck, Yoh!” Horo pats his back, soaking his shirt where his hand touches the material.</p><p>“Yoh, whatever you do,” Choco leans in conspiratorially. Suddenly he is dressed in traditional Patch clothing, a crown of feathers on his head and a gnarled stick in his hand, “follow the <em>presentiment</em> of your <em>element</em>!”</p><p>Yoh blinks as his mind strives to make the connection. The joke all but passes by him and there is a languid pause that is disrupted by the falling water. Everyone has frozen in their tracks, all waiting for an inevitable reaction that could come from Hao, but it could also come from Ren or Horo.</p><p>Choco is laughing by himself and Yoh wonders if this isn’t making the situation worse.</p><p>Finally, his brother speaks. His tone is level but the candor in it is a slab of granite, intent on crushing poor Choco’s soul to dust.</p><p>“I haven’t heard such a bad joke in one thousand years.”</p><p>And then he continues to walk away as if nothing happened.</p><p>Contrary to popular belief, Choco bounces right back and suffers two consecutive hits from both Ren and Horo for his stupid joke. Still, he cannot restrain himself not to say back.</p><p>“But you heard one before!”</p><p>Left alone in the clearing, Yoh sits down on the ground where the shade is thickest. He closes his eyes and wills his mind to slow down and flow towards the natural elements surrounding him.</p><p>He is unsure how long he stays like that, but at some point, the wind turns cold and the light seems to dim until it is almost dark. Shivers rack down his limbs, so violent that his whole body shakes.</p><p>Yoh opens his eyes in shock but finds that nothing has changed around him. The waterfall and the forest are still there, and the light outside barely dimmed from midday to afternoon.</p><p>Here in the forest, cut off from Dobi village, the passing of time is harder to gauge because there is basically no sun to follow on the sky. </p><p>The village itself is embedded into the mountain, but the main neighborhoods are set under the main opening in the cave that allows sunlight to filter in and the open sky to sprawl from one side of the large hole to the other.</p><p>Yoh looks down at his clenched fists with wonder, struggling to comprehend why there is no tremble anymore. It felt like he was in the middle of a snowstorm, so cold he felt.</p><p>“Well then,” his brother comes up from behind a line of bushes, three large logs under his right hand. He walks languidly as if he has all the time in the world. The older boy stops and looks down at Yoh, “did you figure it out?”</p><p>Yoh keeps his eyes on his hands, unsure yet what to make of the bizarre experience he just had.</p><p>A miniature fire bursts into being next to his head and Yoh jerks back in surprise. Hao holds the flames in his palm, and they dance lightly in the weak breeze. Yoh keeps his eyes on the orange fire, noting with wonder how they don’t seem to touch his brother’s skin, nor leave any visible marks behind.</p><p>“I kept wondering, you know?” Hao begins again when Yoh forwards no answer. “What your main affinity might be. It makes sense that it is fire.”</p><p>Yoh’s eyes widen and he turns to his brother.</p><p>“You mean I can control fire?”</p><p>Hao chuckles and sits down near him, throwing the logs in between them.</p><p>“Something like that. Like me, your main affinity – the element you are most drawn to – is fire. With time, you may get to ‘control’ it. But elements cannot be controlled on a whim, not until you become extremely versed in using them. Once you are able to do that, you can do what I just did.”</p><p>Yoh nods slowly, still processing the information. He should be more revolted that he can control fire, but it actually makes a whole lot of sense to him. They are twin brothers and if Hao can be trusted, they share more than the same mother and blood. He still struggles to grasp the real meaning behind it, but Hao insists that they both share the same soul – split in halves and divided between them – but that is more confusing than anything else.</p><p>Why is Yoh not evil and Hao is himself?</p><p>How does that even work?</p><p>Shouldn’t he be as evil as his older brother?</p><p>Instead of that, all Yoh wants is to save him and break the vicious cycle of violence and rebirth that seems to dominate his brother’s whole being and torment his soul.</p><p>“If I can control fire, why did I feel so cold earlier?”</p><p>Because that part made the least bit of sense to him.</p><p>“That is because you are very far away from a fire, little brother.” Hao’s eyes seem to glint as he explains, Yoh notes with wonder. It is an extremely rare experience and definitely the first time that he is able to see Hao so relaxed and in his element. “There is no sun here and no source of direct fire. It is obvious that you’d feel the effects of its absence.”</p><p>The logs at their feet burst into flames and Yoh all but scutters back with a yelp. </p><p>Red-orange fire flickers, its tendrils curving and weaving in and out of the main flame.</p><p>Yoh is tempted to touch it, but it might be too early to try such a daring move.</p><p>“There you go.” Hao says with a pleased smile. He stands up when his brother simply continues to look at him. “Now you can properly meditate on it.”</p><p>Yoh nods, still uncertain what, exactly, he should do. Anna, at least, was usually more explicit with her instructions when training time came.</p><p>Abruptly remembering something, Yoh glances up at his brother’s retreating back.</p><p>“Wait, what about the others? How did they do?”</p><p>Hao pauses and Yoh’s heart skips a beat at the stretched moment of silence.</p><p>“They surprised me by how well they managed in their fights. There might be hope for them, after all.”</p><p>Yoh releases a relieved sigh, closing his eyes in silent thanks. He hears his brother chuckle.</p><p>“Don’t worry, little brother. They are just too beat up to return to their training today. Never say that I am not merciful.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Silva’s head pops out from behind the corner.</p><p>Kalim watches with growing amusement as his friend tries to sneak out of the Patch headquarters, unaware that Goldva has left an hour ago.</p><p>The clueless idiot jumps from behind the wall and proceeds to speed walk to the exit, as if this doesn’t raise any and all alarm bells. Kalim keeps to his spot and simply crosses his arms over his chest, sighing as Silva grows closer.</p><p>“What are you doing, Silva?”</p><p>Said man stumbles over his feet and almost headbutts the cracked wall standing between him and Kalim’s corner.</p><p>“Kalim! What- nothing!”</p><p>Silva clears his throat when Kalim shoots him an incredulous stare.</p><p>“Fine, I am on a reconnaissance mission I just received from Goldva.”</p><p>“When?”</p><p>“Yesterday?”</p><p>By the look of things, Silva is not quite sure when his mission was supposedly handed to him. Kalim overlooks this though, mostly because this is added material to blackmail his friend with later.</p><p>“And what’s the mission?”</p><p>Silva frowns. “You know that I am not at liberty to tell you that.”</p><p>Kalim rolls his eyes and unglues his back from the damp wall.</p><p>“Fine then, I will go ask Goldva myself.”</p><p>“Wait!” Silva grabs his arm and drags him outside, where he proceeds to find the best hidden spot in the whole forest.</p><p>“Are we just about there, Silva?” Kalim asks, long-suffering.</p><p>Silva executes a rather abrupt turn and shoves them both between a tree and a pair of bushes.</p><p>“There is no mission.”</p><p>Kalim exhales impatiently.</p><p>“Obviously there isn’t. Do you think I’m an idiot?”</p><p>Silva blinks at the rather forceful undertone, but remains silent at the admission so Kalim has to ask.</p><p>“What are you trying to do, Silva?”</p><p>His friend’s eyes flit left and right for a few seconds before he closes them and sighs. Kalim’s alarm only grows when Silva’s shoulders droop in defeat.</p><p>“Kyouyama Anna just gave me some bad news.”</p><p>“Kyouyama Anna?” Kalim repeats, searching for the face in his memories. “Asakura’s fiancé?”</p><p>Silva nods. “Apparently, Yoh and his friends left and joined up with Hao.”</p><p>“<em>What</em>!”</p><p>Silva shushes him when Kalim’s exclamation reaches a few decibels more than acceptable.</p><p>“How did that happen?!”</p><p>“Anna wasn’t sure herself. Yoh and the others apparently read the Tomb of the Shaman just before they left.”</p><p>“Hao’s book.” Kalim says darkly.</p><p>“But they were perfectly normal when they got out.” Silva shakes his head, at a loss, but Kalim has his doubts.</p><p>“Silva, you know that mind control is tricky. They could have behaved as normal as ever, but if they were affected by even a little of Hao’s influence…”</p><p>He trails off into silence when Silva’s face falls even more.</p><p>“I don’t know, my friend.” Silva meets his gaze, eyes burning with determination. “That is why I will go and try to find out more.”</p><p>“You are planning to seek out Hao’s camp and <em>spy</em> on them?” Kalim asks incredulously.</p><p>Silva grimaces at the overwhelming task.</p><p>“That is the plan, yes.”</p><p>Kalim shakes his head in dismay. “Going alone is suicide.”</p><p>As he expected, Silva scowls. “I have no choice-“</p><p>But Kalim clamps an arm on his shoulder and smiles. “Which makes you lucky that you have me.”</p><p>Silva stops rambling and looks at him with wide eyes.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You didn’t really think that I would let you go face the devil alone, did you?”</p><p>“But-“</p><p>“No buts. We’re in this together. Besides, I kind of liked that kid Horo. He showed promise.” Kalim purses his lips, still trying to make sense of what Silva just told him. “It will be an honor to accompany you.”</p><p>“Thank you, my friend.” Silva smiles back, visibly grateful.</p><p>Kalim pats him on the back and takes a few steps forward.</p><p>“So, what is the plan?”</p><p>When the silence stretches, he turns a disbelieving glare onto Silva.</p><p>“Are you serious? You have no semblance of a plan whatsoever?”</p><p>Silva shrugs and if they were still children, Kalim would have slapped him over the head.</p><p>As it is, it ultimately falls on Kalim to produce a strategy that will not get them killed.</p><p>“Let’s see,” he rubs his chin, thinking back to the list of followers Hao has gathered over the years and which the council keeps under close observation, “there might be a few people we could discuss with that will not immediately kill us or worse, <em>tell Hao</em>. We should keep our distance at first and if things go smoothly, we can take more risks.”</p><p>“That is a great plan!” Silva beams, though it is obvious that he is impatient to get on with it.</p><p>Kalim snorts and falls into old habits because his friend is just that dumb sometimes.</p><p>“That hurt, you know?!”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“And. I. Just. Can’t. Do. <em>It</em>!”</p><p>Horo falls back, landing with a huge splash and thoroughly soaking the rest of his dry clothes and hair. Kororo appears above him, a mournful expression on her face.</p><p>The boy looks at nothing and everything as he floats in the middle of the river on his back. His pout is the most prominent feature on his face at the moment.</p><p>“I understand how you feel, Horo.” Faust concurs, sweat covering his forehead and neck. Nothing below his navel is visible, including his hands. “My hands have been stuck in the same position for almost three hours and now I know how every skeleton in my arsenal feels.”</p><p>“I would call it ironic, if I wasn’t struck by the same revelation.” Ren downs the rest of his drink, stands up and starts making his way up the waterfall to resume his training.</p><p>“Maybe you should try it like this, Faust.”</p><p>Covered up to the neck with earth, Ryu grins up at the doctor. It certainly makes a strange image, Yoh thinks in amusement.</p><p>“I can feel the energy coursing through me!”</p><p>Faust looks doubtfully in Ryu’s direction.</p><p>“The only energy you feel might come from a mole trying to make its way through your body.” Tokagero says mockingly, drifting in the air above his head.</p><p>“I just don’t get this training, dude! Why should I become a flat out prune just to learn to control water? How do I even do that? I control ice, not water!”</p><p>By the end of his little tirade, Horo is breathing hard and glaring at the rocky roof above their heads.</p><p>“Aw, c’mon Horo!” Yoh chides without any heat – just like his training. He has made no further progress on the fire front either. “We shouldn’t give up.”</p><p>“We can’t give up either way or else Hao will kill us!” Ryu doesn’t hesitate to remind them of the grim future, should they fail.</p><p>“Wait a second, Horo. Didn’t you just say that you can control ice?” Ren cracks one eye open from the top of the waterfall.</p><p>Next to him, Choco seems to be in a deep trance because he has forwarded absolutely no jokes or quips to the whole conversation.</p><p>Horo lifts his head from the water, leaning on his elbows.</p><p>“Yeah, I did, so what?” Water drips down his face and he puckers his lips and glares at the offending liquid.</p><p>“Are you an idiot?” Ren begins with his rehearsed opening for anything concerning any of his dumb friends. “Ice is just frozen water.”</p><p>“Gee Ren, thanks for the science lesson-“</p><p>“No you idiot, listen! You have the biggest advantage here because you literally can control ice, which is frozen water. Think about it!” The Tao glares for good measure, his training officially forgotten.</p><p>Horo rubs his chin with wonder as he ponders over Ren’s words. A cheeky grin expands over his lips as his brain seems to make the connection. At his side, Kororo exclaims in delight.</p><p>“You mean – I can try to control the water just like I control the ice!”</p><p>“Yes, that’s exactly what I am saying. I cannot believe it took you so long! You had a home field advantage and you didn’t even use it!” The groan is very unlike Ren and Yoh is so side-tracked for a moment that he snickers.</p><p>But it does make him almost miss what happens next. In the time it takes Yoh to snicker and Faust to sip a mouthful of water from his bottle, Ren loses his equilibrium and starts falling down the waterfall.</p><p>Yoh eyes widen and he’s on his feet in less than three seconds. Faust and Ryu make to stand up as well but are kept down by the earth surrounding them.</p><p>Mouth open more out of shock than in any wordless scream, Ren watches as he falls towards the rocky outcropping below.</p><p>Two yells pierce through the heavy moment – one comes from Horo, who is on his knees in the river, arm outstretched. The other comes from above and when Yoh looks up, Choco is crouching, arms also outstretched towards Ren.</p><p>Their fallen friend’s form suddenly jerks to a stop, five meters from a very dangerous landing. He seems to be floating in the air because nothing touches him and yet he is flying.</p><p>“Man, Ren, you are <em>heavy</em>!”</p><p>Everyone’s jaws fall open as they look up at Choco. His face is covered with sweat and water drops, and the muscles in his arms seem to seize with the effort of holding Ren upright.</p><p>“Leave him to me, Choco!” Horo’s voice breaks through the haze and they all look back down, spectators to something incredible.</p><p>Along Horo’s arm and beyond it, a limb of water extends until it almost reaches Ren, though it stopped short two meters from touching the boy.</p><p>Teeth gritted so hard his jaw feels like breaking, Horo carefully wills the water to stretch further until it coils around Ren. Choco breaks his control and falls back, breathing hard.</p><p>Horo strives to keep Ren from falling again, and after five seconds that feel more like an eternity, Ren’s feet touch the riverbed. The snowboarder lets the water fall, lifeless once more, and leans on his arms and knees as he tries to regain a semblance of a normal breathing pattern.</p><p>There is a second more of confusion and surprise before Yoh and Ryu erupt into loud cheers. Yoh jogs to the edge of the river and crouches down to survey Horo’s tired form before he looks up with a toothy grin to see if Choco is fine.</p><p>“Did they just do what I think they did?” Ren is barely out of his shock over what just transpired.</p><p>Yoh laughs loudly. “Yeah and it was <em>awesome</em>!”</p><p>“<em>Whohoo</em>! That’s more like it!” Ryu’s hair bounces in the rhythm of a party. “That was an incredibly sweet collaboration to save short pants’ short pants right there!”</p><p>“I can’t believe you two blockheads actually managed to do that.” Ren whispers, as if trying to come to terms with it himself.</p><p>“An incredible save.” Faust readily agrees. “For a second there, I thought Ren was done for.”</p><p>“Me too!”</p><p>“Man, that was legendary! Give it up, Choco!”</p><p>Choco sits up more and offers a large thumb up and a grin.</p><p>“Hell yeah! We made a killer combination out there, Horo.”</p><p>“How did <em>you two</em> even do that before <em>me</em>?”</p><p>“Whoa, Ren! What’s that supposed to mean?!”</p><p>“Someone is a jealous jelly!”</p><p>“Get away from me with that stuff!”</p><p>“What is going on here?”</p><p>Six mouths click closed at the seventh voice that filters through their haze of celebration.</p><p>Hao appears from the thick forest, Opacho next to him. He looks at them one by one, stopping on Yoh’s crumpled form by the river and waiting for the explanation to come.</p><p>Not one to be deterred by his brother’s appearance, Yoh decides to share his good mood with his brother.</p><p>“Horo and Choco managed to control the elements!” He points to the ice shaman, but Hao looks up towards Chocolove too. The comedian rubs the back of his neck, more nervous than excited.</p><p>“Did they now?” His penetrating gaze falls on Horo. “Let’s see it then.”</p><p>Horo’s butt lands back on the bottom of the river and he groans. “No way I’ll be able to do that with you breathing down my neck!”</p><p>“Trust me, I will definitely not get close enough to you to breathe down your neck.”</p><p>Yoh chuckles at the hopeless way Hao seems to gloss over the most common of modern sayings. He either chooses to ignore them or simply isn’t up to speed on many of them.</p><p>First Hao looks to Choco. He raises a hand and points to Opacho, who was silently observing until now.</p><p>“I want you to lift her up.”</p><p>“Whu-it’s a <em>girl</em>?!” Horo’s eyes bulge out of his head.</p><p>Ren shoots him an unimpressed look and deadpans. “Obviously, you dolt.”</p><p>“No, it wasn’t.” Yoh says pitifully, crying a river.</p><p>But Choco is still trying his best to keep his composure when he asks, quietly hopeful. “You sure I can’t offer a compliment to lift her up instead?”</p><p>The look Hao shoots the poor boy is enough to have him scrambling to his knees and scrunching his eyes up in concentration. Arms once more lifted, he concentrates on Opacho and it doesn’t take much longer until the little girl is floating in the air, seemingly by magic.</p><p>“The air element. Good.” Hao’s approval slips off like water, but something in Choco’s expression loses some of its guarded poise. “And now you, Horo.”</p><p>Horo makes a face but nods and concentrates. With a yell, a thin limb of water sprouts from the surface, shivering in the air for two long heartbeats before falling back down.</p><p>“You have almost non-existent stamina, but it is a good start.” Hao glances at the rest of the group, who are in various states of uselessness, including his prized little brother. He keeps himself back from sending a most unnerving glare in their direction and says instead. “And what about the rest of you?”</p><p>Ryu, Faust and Yoh jolt, backs straightening involuntarily.</p><p>Ren simply glares.</p><p>“Horo and Chocolove are off the hook and get to live past my first fight in the Tournament. As it stands right now, the rest of you won’t.”</p><p>“We’ll do our best.” Faust says, if only to get the older Asakura off their backs.</p><p>Hao’s gaze burns with smoldering fire as he speaks. “For your sakes, you better.”</p><p>He retreats as fast as he came.</p><p>Choco crosses his arms, gaze narrowing. Not far behind, Mic growls at the spot where the shaman was last glimpsed in.</p><p>“That was some use of the air element.” Now that he got the gist of using his furyoku to jab at the element in the direction he wants it to go, he wonders how he should branch out. Developing some techniques comes a close second, but first he needs to strengthen his response time and control.</p><p>Horo spits out a mouthful of water and flexes his palm. Stamina means a low level of furyoku, which kind of makes sense in the grand scheme of things because Horo felt his furyoku rapidly draining the longer he kept pushing the particles of water to stay together. Using ice and water is totally different, but he won’t lie that there are some common elements that he might be able to use to discover a better alternative. But until then, he wonders how much his furyoku would increase in an express bootcamp and what kind of training he should do to make it grow faster.</p><p>Yoh watches his friends with a small smile. He is happy to see them make progress, though he’s internally cringing in anticipation of his own training. He’s been trying his best to make the flames do something – <em>anything</em> – but no luck yet. Maybe if this continues, he should go ask Hao for tips. But before that-</p><p>“Hey, guys?” Both Horo and Choco look up, startled from their internal musings and into Yoh’s bright face. “How about some hints?”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. You better figure it out, and soon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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<p>Team Ren receives a notification from the shaman council that very afternoon. They have the first fight out of Yoh’s group and the third out of the total of Hao’s followers since the beginning of the second round.</p>
<p>Anna, of course, is aware of it, as she has been diligently keeping up on who and who are fighting. She watches the crowds gather, eyes flitting this way and that. Inwardly, she wonders if today is the day when she might spot Yoh through the onlookers, but until now she had no luck.</p>
<p>“I can’t see Yoh anywhere.” Manta pouts and lets his head drop on his crossed hands over the rock sill.</p>
<p>Anna spares him a glance before she looks to Jun. The older girl is as tense as a coil and ready to spring at the first glimpse of her little brother. The medium is well aware that Jun took it hard when Ren up and decided to leave with Yoh to join Hao, though Anna is pleased to know that the other girl refuses to believe her brother might have turned evil. Tao Ren has to have a plan, and at least where Jun is concerned, she will continue to believe in her little brother until he gives her good reason not to anymore.</p>
<p>At the other end of the spectrum, Pirika took it the hardest of them all and she is still sniffling on the other side of Manta. She searches the stadium floor with desperation in her gaze, waiting for her brother to make an appearance as well.</p>
<p>Anna expels a sigh and crosses her arms over her chest, just as Kalim finishes his speech and announces the name of the teams who will be competing.</p>
<p>Even from this distance, she can distinguish the slight tension running in Kalim’s shoulders as team Ren materializes out of one of the entrances and onto the sunlit grounds.</p>
<p>“Woah! They’re here!” Manta exclaims in delight.</p>
<p>Over Pirika’s loud gasp and the narrowed gaze with which Jun studies Ren, Anna notes that there isn’t much changed with the boys since they’ve last seen them. Granted, that was a measly two weeks ago, but now it feels like a whole lifetime has passed.</p>
<p>They seem tired though. And not only that, their clothes are somewhat bedraggled. Dirty, spotted and cut in many places.</p>
<p>“And now the fight between team Ren and team Mafiosi can commence. Fight!”</p>
<p>The boys keep their ground as they wait for the other team to take the initiative and attack.</p>
<p>Team Mafiosi consists of three men dressed in formal black suits, black ties and fedoras on their heads. Two of them are smoking and all three of them hold guns that they turn at once in team Ren’s direction.</p>
<p>“You’re through!” The one in the middle exclaims with quite a lot of self-confidence.</p>
<p>They pull the trigger simultaneously and three guardian ghosts fly towards their targets.</p>
<p>Ren swats one away with his guandao merged with Bason.</p>
<p>Choco skids a few feet back, claws lifted and already united with his guardian ghost.</p>
<p>Anna’s eyes narrow at both Pirika’s unrestrained yells and Horo’s jerky movements as Kororo enters the snowboard and flies away with it. The boy cannot seem to decide what strategy he wants to follow and it shows in the way his eyes flit around the arena and how he mostly dodges the attacks thrown his way.</p>
<p>He leaves behind nothing but cold air, until he hits the closest guardian ghost and bounces off again. The enemy spirit he fights turns out to be a mafioso as well, which Anna finds incredibly fitting.</p>
<p>Ren switches Bason from the guandao and into the Tao sword. A larger spear, obviously customized by Bason, emerges and he uses a short series of attacks that culminate with the rapid tempo assault to incapacitate his enemy.</p>
<p>His strategy works and Anna grudgingly approves of his fighting prowess. Next to her, Jun releases a breath of relief. Lee Pai Long’s stony expression never wavers.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>“Ren might still be falling behind at element control, but I have to admit that he excels in other areas.”</p>
<p>“Heh, you got that right!”</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Back in the arena, Choco evades an incredible array of attacks at an almost inhumane speed that instantly captures Anna’s attention. Her eyes narrow as she struggles to figure out what the boy is actually trying to do, and how he can move so fast. It comes to a point where he seems to be but a blur, though that instance is short, and it mostly allows for a distraction.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>“Team Mafiosi is using smaller versions of the giant ghost forms.”</p>
<p>“What does that mean?” Yoh turns to his brother, confusion written all over his face.</p>
<p>Hao hums thoughtfully, searching for a simple explanation. “Instead of big guardian ghosts that use a lot of furyoku, they use a compacted version that packs the same punch but seems harmless at first sight because they are so small.”</p>
<p>Yoh’s eyebrows climb on his forehead. “Oh, I get it.” Then something occurs to him. “Why don’t <em>you</em> use small ghost form?”</p>
<p>Hao chuckles heartily. “Because I have furyoku to waste, little brother.”</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Choco snarls as he turns on his heels and strikes. But just before the enemy guardian ghost can strike with his furyoku-enhanced swing of the bloody club clutched in his ghostly hands, the comedian disappears.</p>
<p>The move is so sudden and shocking that the ghost stumbles for a heartbeat. It is enough time for Choco to appear right behind it and thrust a claw right into its chest, successfully dispersing it and breaking spirit control with its shaman.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>“I must say, I thought Chocolove was a complete pushover, but he has progressed the best out of all of you when it comes to elemental control. Those movements were unrefined, but still packed a punch.” Hao says approvingly, leaning forward. “Maybe I should start giving him private lessons.”</p>
<p>Yoh hesitates to reply, unsure if he should take the compliment for his friend, be indignant at his brother for having thought that about Choco or be worried about what those ‘private lessons’ will include.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Horo continues sliding away and around the enemy, obviously trying to confuse it. He is not exactly successful, so his temper takes the better of him.</p>
<p>Clenching his jaw, he brings a frozen wave onto his enemy’s head. The ghost of a man is flexible, but other than that Horo hasn’t seen it display any power or attack with any kind of weapon.</p>
<p>That all changes when the ghost takes the cigarette stuck between his lips out of his mouth and grins at him with yellowed teeth. Horo’s eyes widen when the cigarette burns bright and sends a counterwave of fire and ash to clash right into him.</p>
<p>Horo senses his ice melt, frowns through the smoke, coughs and then grins when the obscuring curtain disappears. He is still above his opponent’s head, past the point of attack and this time there is only water beneath his snowboard.</p>
<p>With a loud bellow, he slides onto that water, using it as a slope instead of the ice. He executes a sharp turn and uses his board to kick his opponent in the head. Kororo exits the snowboard and slips into the icupasuy. Horo uses the ice sword Kororo forms in the next moment to slice through the last ghost in countless little parts.</p>
<p>He lands on his feet but then loses his equilibrium and falls on his butt, though he still grins up at the bright blue sky as the clamor from the stand washes over him.</p>
<p>Choco appears above him grinning and offers a hand to help him up which he promptly accepts.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>“Horo was not that bad either. He seemed incredibly indecisive at first, but his idea to use water to slide instead of ice was interesting.”</p>
<p>The corner of Yoh’s mouth pulls into a cheeky smile.</p>
<p>“Right? All three of them were pretty awesome!”</p>
<p>Hao exhales audibly through his nose and allows his little brother this small victory. “I suppose.” He stands up, ready to vacate the empty corner of the stadium they are in, farthest away from any nosy shaman, council members and, most of all, Yoh’s dangerous fiancé and her group. He turns to Yoh. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>Yoh’s eyes are involuntarily drawn to the other side of the arena, parsing over the large space. He thinks he can spot Anna, and maybe Manta too. There is something fluttering inside his chest, but he can’t figure out what exactly it means.</p>
<p>Whatever the case, when he blinks again, there are only splotches of color in the distance and Hao is watching him expectantly. With a deep sigh, Yoh sits up as well and pats the back of his pants to get rid of whatever dust might cling to these dirty seats.</p>
<p>“Yeah, let’s go.”</p>
<p>They vanish behind a curtain of fire.</p>
<p>They may or may not have spotted Mikihisa hiding in the shadows, far enough away for him to not eavesdrop, but close enough to at least watch his sons sit together.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“That was completely awesome!” Manta exclaims again, lost in the rush of the match.</p>
<p>“Horo!” Pirika rubs at her tear-stained cheeks. Her skin is flushed, and she is obviously incredibly relieved to see her brother do so well, but completely disappointed that he left with his two other teammates almost immediately after the match has ended.</p>
<p>Anna’s eyes trail away from the cleaning crew that replaces the fighters to the opposite corner of the arena. There are not many spectators there, mostly because they are advised not to sit in those stands as they are prone to be victims to stray attacks. But there is something in that direction that grates at her subconscious, though she cannot, for the life of her, figure out what.</p>
<p>She thinks she spots Yoh, but that is absurd and the image flickers away and disappears before she can think more on it. When she looks again, there is no one there.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Anna glances at her companions and notices that they are turning to walk towards the exit.</p>
<p>“I kind of doubt that we can catch them now.” Jun says sadly, rubbing Pirika’s back.</p>
<p>The younger girl seems to draw into herself, though she nods in understanding.</p>
<p>“But maybe next time we can ambush them, or something.”</p>
<p>Anna thinks that is not such a bad idea.</p>
<p>“Yeah! We can totally try that.”</p>
<p>“Maybe if two of us stand at one entrance and the others at the other we can…”</p>
<p>Manta’s complicated strategy falls off Anna like water. She keeps her eyes forward, but her mind is occupied with the fight she just witnessed. Those moves the boys kept pulling – they weren’t there before, she is quite sure of that.</p>
<p>She doesn’t know much about Chocolove, and yes, the boy was fast before, but not <em>this fast.</em> Ren finally learned that strategy is a better companion than pure force and Horo was definitely not as creative before with his attacks.</p>
<p>He had been to a degree, but what grinds on Anna the most was that move with the water. After the ice melted, that was supposed to be it, considering that Horo can only control ice.</p>
<p>How did he pull it off?</p>
<p>It comes to a point where they are sitting at their usual table in Patch Caffe. Tamao appears out of nowhere, citing she had an errand to run even though Anna doesn’t remember giving her one.</p>
<p>It gets Pirika talking with excitement about her brother’s incredible moves and Jun is nodding along. She was discussing Ren with her guardian, but Lee Pai Long has been reserved in his answers on the subject of Ren ever since the boy took off with Yoh and the others.</p>
<p>They keep talking of the fight and Tamao listens intently, mouth open in awe.</p>
<p>Manta wonders if the other guys might sport some new moves and Anna boils inside just thinking about Yoh and if he is alright and what he must be suffering at Hao’s hands.</p>
<p>It is in that moment that Mikihisa unfolds from the ceiling. Upside down, he salutes them in his usual fashion, which gets everyone but Anna to scream out at his appearance.</p>
<p>“You seem thoughtful, Anna.” The man observes casually as he reclines in a chair at the head of the table. “Thinking about the fight?”</p>
<p>“Yes, actually.” Anna decides that there is no reason not to be truthful.</p>
<p>Mikihisa offers a noncommittal sound to her confession. “Hm. I did watch it as well. It was certainly an interesting turn of events.”</p>
<p>Anna looks up and conversation seems to cease at their table.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p>The man rubs at his masked chin. “I wasn’t very concentrated on the fight, but I did see some interesting moves from team Ren.”</p>
<p>“Right?!” Pirika all but explodes. It seems that her sadness is momentarily overshadowed by her admiration for her brother. “Horo’s new moves were really amazing!”</p>
<p>“Indeed.” Mikihisa replies vaguely, still evasive. After Anna fixes him with a look of warning he seems to reconsider though. “What they used is called elemental control. Both Horo and Chocolove used it against their opponents.”</p>
<p>“Huh? What’s elemental control?” Manta asked with confusion, but this time Anna has the answer.</p>
<p>“It is the ability to control one or more of the five main elements that make up this world.”</p>
<p>Tamao gasps in recognition. Jun frowns.</p>
<p>“From what I’ve seen, Chocolove controlled the air around his body to give himself a boost in speed. It was a really smart move.”</p>
<p>“And Horo?” Pirika asks tentatively, though her small voices denotes that she is more afraid than excited about the answer.</p>
<p>“I believe that Horo used water control. When the ice was gone, he easily used the water to continue with his assault. His level of control surprised me the most, considering that water is harder to command than ice.”</p>
<p>“O-Oh.”</p>
<p>Pirika averts her eyes to the scratched surface of the table. Anna wants to feel sorry for her, but she has enough reasons to feel sorry for herself first and foremost. Now that Mikihisa elucidated the mystery behind the boys’ moves, there are new things that grate at Anna.</p>
<p>“It was Hao who taught them elemental control, wasn’t it?”</p>
<p>Her observation is awarded with a nod from the older shaman.</p>
<p>“Most likely. There aren’t that many shamans who can show such control over one element without the aid of a guardian ghost that draws its powers from it.”</p>
<p>“So they’ve been doing more than just hanging out with Hao.” Manta looks down at his lap, hands clenched into fists.</p>
<p>Anna senses the same feeling of desperation she holds deep inside her heart and she closes her eyes against the nauseating amount of it.</p>
<p>“We should have expected that. Let’s just hope he isn’t going too hard on them.” She says this more out of the need to launch a prayer out into the atmosphere than to really make conversation.</p>
<p>Manta nods resolutely along with Tamao. Pirika whimpers and brings her hands together in front of her face. Jun steeples her fingers on the tabletop, eyes gazing vacantly at her clenched hands.</p>
<p>Mikihisa is not done with them yet.</p>
<p>“And besides, Hao was there watching the fight. So there is no doubt that he is involved.”</p>
<p>A short pause follows before all the other occupants of the table sit up and shout.</p>
<p>“<em>He was?!</em>”</p>
<p>Mikihisa seems taken aback but nods in the face of the fierce determination behind their eyes.</p>
<p>“Yes, he was. And Yoh was with him.”</p>
<p>Anna feels her heart plummet. At her side, Manta drops back into his seat, and the wave of guilt and desperation increases.</p>
<p>It’s all Anna can do not to drown in it.</p>
<p>Instead, she directs her mind to Yoh and what a beating he will get from her because of his stupid ideas. She can care less about <em>why</em> he did it when he literally continues to give her heart attacks every single time they hear of him.</p>
<p>“Was Yoh,” Manta gulps, as if daring himself to ask after his best friend’s health, “was he alright?”</p>
<p>“He did seem alright, yes.” Mikihisa assures them before standing up from the table. His head barely turns, but Anna feels his gaze settling on her. “I will continue to keep an eye out for them. If something springs up, I will send you a message, Anna.”</p>
<p>Anna inclines her head, out of respect and thanks to the man.</p>
<p>“I understand.”</p>
<p>He disappears as fast as he arrived and leaves their table under an uncomfortable silence. It is Anna who breaks it.</p>
<p>“If Hao is teaching them new skills, we should brace ourselves for the worst.” Though even saying it brings a bad taste to her mouth.</p>
<p>As expected, Pirika is irate.</p>
<p>“There’s no way Horo will let himself be blinded by the dark forces!”</p>
<p>The declaration would be amusing, had the situation been any different.</p>
<p>“As much as my trust in the boys is equally strong, I agree with Anna.” Jun purses her lips and crosses her arms. “This is Hao we are talking about. We should be careful,” when Pirika opens her mouth Jun adds pointedly, “but that does not mean that we shouldn’t try to speak to them.”</p>
<p>Anna sighs softly while Manta nods, a resolute expression on his face.</p>
<p>“I believe in Yoh and the others not to fall for any of Hao’s schemes. They can do it, I’m sure!”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“And we didn’t even use giant spirit control, just like you said!” Hands on his hips, Horo laughs wildly, still in the process of celebrating team Ren’s first win in the second round.</p>
<p>“Hm, it was a piece of cake.” Ren closes his eyes, the expression on his face decidedly pleased with himself.</p>
<p>Hao watches them, cheek resting on his open palm.</p>
<p>Leaning back on the rock his brother is perched on because he is a dramatic little shit, Yoh grins at his friends, glad to see them in such high spirits.</p>
<p>“I guess you did well.” Hao finally relents, eager to stop them from busting his ears with their inane accomplishments already. “But those small boosts you managed are a far cry from really using elemental control.”</p>
<p>“Can’t you just let us have this win?!” Choco scowls, exasperated more than irate by the fact that Hao just can’t seem to stop pointing out their mistakes and shortcomings.</p>
<p>“I would, if it was a real win. You were lucky those guys were as weak as a leaf. As it is, you should start taking your training seriously and stop asking for self-confidence boosts.”</p>
<p>As if to underline his words, Eliza and Tokagero, both in giant spirit control forms, clash with two other guardian ghosts in the background of Hao’s ‘conference chambers’. Which is just a random rock in the forest a few feet away from his tent.</p>
<p>Yoh chuckles, naturally inclined to not take much of the danger they are in seriously.</p>
<p>Hao spares a dry glance at his stupid little brother and sighs. He has better things to do, but as Opacho pointed out, he has people he can order to do them in his stead.</p>
<p>Besides, he is starting to have fun on this little pet project of his. Already, some of his followers – both new to elemental control and some who were already savvy in it – are coming to him for advice and hints that would boost their handling of the skill.</p>
<p>He’d lie if he’d say that he isn’t just a bit thrilled to see so many interested in an obscure skill that is all but lost in this time.</p>
<p>So, he will send other people when there is no need for his formal presence and with his emerging free time, Hao will see how far Yoh’s friends can go.</p>
<p>“I guess you’re right!”</p>
<p>“Of course I am, Yoh.” Though he won’t say that he isn’t pleased when his little brother agrees with him. His eyes fall on the two most advanced out of the group. “From now on, Chocolove and Horo will train with me. The rest of you continue on as you were.”</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>Choco blinks, eyes wide and round. “You want to train <em>us</em>?”</p>
<p>Just for the fact that the boy sounds incredibly dubious of Hao’s reasons, the reincarnated shaman decides to let him off the hook. Hao himself is unsure why he has suddenly decided to offer his assistance.</p>
<p>But just because he can, Hao glares.</p>
<p>“Was there anything unclear in what I said earlier?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, dude, everything!” Horo shakes his head then, as if banishing the thought away. He crosses his arms behind his head and lets out a rather pitiful mumble. “I guess it’s fine. We needed the extra help anyways.”</p>
<p>Choco turns to his friend and fake-whispers, “Speak for you, Horo! I was doing fine.”</p>
<p>This conversation is getting a little too long for Hao’s taste.</p>
<p>“Is this still up for discussion?”</p>
<p>The bite in his tone makes both boys shut up.</p>
<p>Hao turns to Yoh, ducking his head in the process as a rather loaded shockwave passes over them. Yoh and his friends give undignified yelps and look around in shock.</p>
<p>“Yoh, you better get to cracking that fire control already. I am getting impatient with you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry! I will!” Despite the smile on his face, Yoh is inwardly sweating bullets.</p>
<p>This isn’t by far the first time his brother threatened him because dishing out death threats is Hao’s specialty. But this time Yoh is, dare he say it, <em>overwhelmed</em> by the training he needs to do.</p>
<p>None of Choco and Horo’s hints and explanations really help and, unfortunately, Hao has refused to give Yoh any other help.</p>
<p>And nothing Anna threw in his direction can compare, and this is not even physical exertion oriented. This is some metaphysical training that his grandpa would be good at. Yoh, on the other hand, would have better luck swinging a weapon until he hits something.</p>
<p>An idea pops into his head then.</p>
<p>Maybe he doesn’t necessarily have to stay put and will the fire to come to life. Maybe some physical training would do him well while he figures the elemental part out.</p>
<p>It’s been some time, but after Anna’s horror training and the way to Dobi village peppered with countless fights, Yoh was always moving, always doing something. After he joined Hao, something like placid contentment started to press down on Yoh and he continues to feel it today. Something needs to move and that something will be Yoh.</p>
<p>Hao plucks Choco and Horo from the group for their <em>individual</em> training. Yoh waves the two shamans away with a sleek grin, though he is inwardly crying silent tears along with them.</p>
<p>Ren scoffs and turns away, towards the clearing they appropriated as their meditation grounds.</p>
<p>Yoh looks up to where Eliza and Tokagero are still in the middle of a duel, fighting with even more fervor than before against their opponents.</p>
<p>If anything, those two are even more fired up than before, considering the circumstances. Now that they have a total stranger on their team, they need to learn to trust one another first and foremost before they are willing to try and trust Luchist.</p>
<p>“What is the meaning of this?” The anger in Ren’s voice brings Yoh to the present.</p>
<p>He blinks, trying to dispel the image before them, but to no avail.</p>
<p>Instead of a desolate, peaceful place, their training ground is now more populated than the camp. There are at least twenty of Hao’s followers, all in various states of meditation.</p>
<p>Yoh glances to the side, catching Ren’s red face and tense shoulders. The boy’s hand clenches and unclenches around the hilt of his guandao and Yoh has to physically reach out and clamp a hand on his shoulder to stop Ren from attacking the nearest person.</p>
<p>“As long as they don’t bother us, there shouldn’t be a problem.” Even as he says this, Yoh is thinking up possible alternatives to training. “Or we can change spots.”</p>
<p>His friend huffs. “I need to meditate on top of that waterfall. If Choco could do it, I can too.”</p>
<p>“Well, there’s a place open.” Yoh says easily and pats Ren’s back. “But I’m going to run around for a bit before I start on the training.”</p>
<p>If Ren has any opinion on that plan, he doesn’t offer it. Instead he nods and departs without another word.</p>
<p>Yoh backs away a couple of steps and when he thinks the bushes give him enough privacy, he starts to stretch.</p>
<p>“Yoh,” Amidamaru drifts alongside him as Yoh rolls his shoulders. His guardian ghost is wearing a confounded expression on his face, “why are you suddenly running around?”</p>
<p>“That’s ‘cause I’m bored of sitting around, Amidamaru.” Yoh answers breezily, starting on the legs. “I feel like I need to do something more than meditate. And I realized that I skipped a lot of Anna’s training in the past few weeks!”</p>
<p>Amidamaru watches the boy chuckle with a melancholic smile, though he nods his head.</p>
<p>“But your brother did insist that you need to be near fire if you want to be able to practice elemental control.”</p>
<p>Yoh stops in the middle of tying up the hoodie he acquired just for this training around his middle. At first, he had resorted to begging Horo for one because the boy has a magnificent collection of hoodies. But after he accidentally set the one he received on fire, Horo had refused to donate any more so Yoh had to turn to Hao and beg him for money to buy another one for himself and one to replace Horo’s ruined one. It took a while, but his insistence paid off and his brother had relented.</p>
<p>Yoh has tried to be more careful because he kind of doubts that Hao will agree to throw money in his direction every time he destroys his clothes. And he needs the hoodie because, paradoxically, training with fire means being cold most of the time. If Yoh is not concentrated enough, the balmy warmth of the fire can easily transform into a cold inferno that makes Yoh’s skin break out into goosebumps even thinking about it.</p>
<p>Now that Amidamaru mentions it, Hao did say that Yoh needs a fire source.</p>
<p>“Yoh, are you alright?”</p>
<p>The boy blinks at his friend blankly.</p>
<p>“You seemed pretty out of it for a moment.” Amidamaru explains.</p>
<p>“Sorry! But you’re right, Amidamaru.” Yoh turns away from his guardian ghost and surveys the surrounding trees. “I do need a source of fire and I think I got a good idea for a new training regimen.”</p>
<p>He grins up at Amidamaru and the samurai closes his eyes, as if trying to imagine something in his mind’s eye.</p>
<p>“That was something very Anna-like to say.” The spirit says in a sad voice tinged with fear. “I’m proud of you, Yoh!”</p>
<p>Despite the compliment, Yoh sheds a few tears because of the sudden bout of painful memories that assaults him in that moment.</p>
<p>He decides on a long stick as a medium for the fire. It takes Yoh some time until he manually makes one, having as the only guide some movies and books he has read, as well as his grandfather’s survival training, but that was a long time ago and his memory is spotty enough as it is.</p>
<p>Once he’s got a handmade torch burning bright, Yoh starts running. His chosen route follows an aimless path that brings him through a new part of the forest, deeper and deeper until he hits the cave wall. He tries his best not to set any vegetation on fire, to make as less noise as possible and to steer clear of the camp and the training grounds.</p>
<p>Ryu and Faust have finished their respective fights and now Yoh has no exact compass to guide him back to camp, but then he remembers that he can always send Amidamaru to scout out ahead and search for the way back. And if worse comes to worst, Hao could probably find him in a second.</p>
<p>Yoh runs through the forest until Amidamaru declares that he has made a full circuit of the outskirts of the camp and then he continues on that path again and again until he gets tired. Which, surprisingly, does not happen as fast as Yoh thought it would.</p>
<p>Night has already fallen, and he is still running through the forest, having already burnt through twelve torches, and his feet are only now starting to feel as if they caught on fire as well.</p>
<p>“You should stop and rest, Yoh.” Amidamaru appears at his side with a worried expression on his face.</p>
<p>Never breaking stride, Yoh nods in agreement.</p>
<p>“You’re right, Amidamaru. Let’s return to camp.”</p>
<p>He makes it in time for the last of his current torch to die out. His legs soon give out from under him and Yoh leans back and slips down the length of the nearest tree. He breathes heavily, trying to regain a semblance of energy to get back to his tent.</p>
<p>A pair of footsteps approaches and Yoh cracks an eye open. He is not worried that there might be enemies lurking by – not with Hao in camp. And his followers mostly steer clear of him. And after a month of periodically sleeping in the desert, Yoh has learned to distinguish his friends’ footsteps by the sound they make.</p>
<p>This pair doesn’t fall in that category so the next logical guess would be-</p>
<p>“I was wondering where you’ve been instead of training.” Hao looks down at Yoh in the dim light that comes from the main fireplace, smoldering and left to die out through the night.</p>
<p>Yoh grimaces, but still protests. “I wasn’t skipping training. I <em>was</em> training.”</p>
<p>His brother’s brow shoots up, an invitation to explain himself.</p>
<p>As the details escape his mouth, Yoh realizes that his idea might be incredibly stupid. By the end, he closes his mouth with an audible click and waits for his brother to start laughing at him.</p>
<p>But instead of doing that, Hao hums and sits down next to Yoh, his back against the rough tree bark.</p>
<p>“It might work,” Yoh’s jaw effectively falls open at the words, “but you will need to spend much more energy concentrating. That is why it is easier to achieve element control when you stay still.”</p>
<p>Yoh thinks about it for a while, but he still reaches the same conclusion he did this morning.</p>
<p>“Well yeah, but meditation wasn’t working anyway.”</p>
<p>Hao shifts and turns his head towards him. “You seemed like someone who works smart not hard. But I guess I was wrong on that front too.”</p>
<p>Yoh snickers. “If smart doesn’t work, then I need another point of view, you know?”</p>
<p>His brother scoffs. “Big words for someone who can’t achieve elemental control.”</p>
<p>“I will, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>“<em>I </em>am not worried. But you know who should be worried? <em>You</em>.”</p>
<p>Yoh tilts his head from side to side as he considers Hao’s words.</p>
<p>“Nah, I’m not worried. Everything will work out in the end.”</p>
<p>“You do seem to hold that motto close to your heart.” The observation sounds more reflective than curious.</p>
<p>In the darkness, Yoh grins. “That’s ‘cause it <em>is</em> my motto! I’m not going to worry unnecessarily.”</p>
<p>“That was quite the big word.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, I take them out sometimes when I want to impress people.”</p>
<p>Hao laughs and Yoh’s grin widens.</p>
<p>“I still don’t get you, Yoh.”</p>
<p>“Well I don’t either, so we’re in the same boat.”</p>
<p>“I doubt you don’t know everything about me from the Asakura elders.” Hao says, his tone caustic.</p>
<p>Yoh rolls his eyes under the cover of darkness.</p>
<p>“That is knowing <em>of </em>you, not knowing, <em>knowing</em> you.”</p>
<p>That one shuts Hao up effectively. Not for the first time, Yoh wonders what goes on through his brother’s head, but he cannot even begin to imagine it.</p>
<p>So instead he asks, “How did you manage to gain elemental control?”</p>
<p>“That was a thousand years ago.”</p>
<p>“You mean you don’t remember?”</p>
<p>“No, I didn’t mean that.” Hao glowers at him and Yoh wants to laugh. “I do remember how I did it, but I won’t tell you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Aw</em>, why not? It’s not like I could replicate what you did.”</p>
<p>“Of course you can, but you won’t because I’m not going to tell you.”</p>
<p>“Man, you are really stinky.” Yoh scrunches up his nose at his brother’s insistent refusal to give him a helping hand.</p>
<p>There is a choking sound interrupted by Hao’s next words. “Did you just seriously call me ‘stinky’?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, really seriously. Because you don’t wanna give a poor guy a hand.”</p>
<p>“What are you, six?”</p>
<p>“It’s funny, people keep asking me that.”</p>
<p>“I wonder why.” The sarcasm drips off Hao’s tongue like honey. Yoh chances a look at him but finds Hao looking up to the roof of the cave and maybe beyond, to the moon on the starry sky. “Fire was the first element I could control, too. But everyone is different, and no process is the same. All you can do is follow your instincts.”</p>
<p>Yoh stays silent for a good while before he nods to himself, determined. “Yeah, I will.”</p>
<p>No answer comes and when the silence stretches a little too long, Yoh looks at Hao, only to find him asleep. Which is another new thing he never expected and it’s strange seeing his brother so relaxed. Tension is his second layer of skin on a good day.</p>
<p>Smiling to himself, Yoh shimmies to find a more comfortable position and closes his eyes, trying to imagine that they are under a sky full of blinking stars and not deep under the ground. He falls asleep to the sound of the cicadas.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Use your Furyoku, young Shaman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>Twenty push-ups.</p><p>Fifty sits ups.</p><p>Thirty-three laps around the camp.</p><p>Ryu watches Yoh’s morning training with nothing short of interest. Since he woke up, the younger boy has been a blur of movement, never once staying in one place, though he somehow always holds a burning stick in one hand.</p><p>The young master always manages to impress him, and today is no exception. Granted, Ryu has been getting so <em>bored</em>, tucked up to the neck in the ground and with no other entertainment besides Faust and beautiful Eliza. But after a while, he has to admit that even the good doctor has become a dull conversation partner.</p><p>Ryu tries to shift his body into a better position, feeling that his butt has fallen asleep, but the movement is halting and microscopic, and it leaves Ryu feeling worse than before the attempt.</p><p>Lips puckering into a pout, the man closes his eyes and tries his best to concentrate.</p><p>He tries to feel the earth, become one with the earth.</p><p>Sense the life and the decay stored in the earth.</p><p>Something wriggling and slimy touches his hand and for one undignified moment, Ryu is set to scream. But then the training of the last few weeks comes back and he bites his tongue, remembering that it is nothing but a worm. And maybe a mole, if he is unlucky.</p><p>There was one incident with a daredevil mole a few days ago. Faust still has the scars to prove it.</p><p>Ryu sighs and turns to the good doctor and his colleague of suffering.</p><p>“Any progress, my friend?”</p><p>Faust takes one second too long to answer, but then his eyes crack open and he releases an impatient sigh.</p><p>“Not really. I still feel unbalanced, but something tells me that I’m getting closer.”</p><p>Ryu nods sagely. “Don’t worry, we will all get there.”</p><p>Faust offers him a hesitant smile in return and shimmies in his own hole with a grimace. Ryu certainly shares his grievances, but he leaves him to it and returns to perusing their immediate surroundings.</p><p>“Master Yoh is making quite the effort.” Ryu does spot short pants on top of the waterfall again, arms stretched and struggling to levitate a grape. He manages it for a second before it falls.</p><p>Ren scowls and plucks another one from the bunch he has with him.</p><p>And still, there is no sign of Choco or Horo yet. Ryu only hopes that Hao didn’t eat the poor kids alive.</p><p>Faust is fast to agree with him. “Indeed. Though I wonder how it helps.”</p><p>Ryu is aware that this is simply curiosity talking and he’d be lying if he’d say that he isn’t the least bit interested in the young Asakura’s mindset, but alas, he does not want to disturb Yoh.</p><p>Failing to shrug, Ryu simply says. “I suppose that he has discovered a better way to achieve this elemental control.”</p><p>Ren growls after another failed attempt and sits up, throwing the empty stem and climbing down. Ryu loses him in the forest, steps hurried and most likely angry.</p><p>Faust hums under his breath and asks Eliza for a sip of water.</p><p>“I will tell you what, Faust.” Ryu begins in absence of something else to say as well as to occupy the time before his turn to the water bottle comes. “If master Yoh manages to find elemental control before us, we shall ask him how he did it.”</p><p>The straw pops out of the doctor’s mouth and he nods, turning his face forward again and closing his eyes.</p><p>“It’s a plan, Ryu.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“This is ridiculous!” Ren seethes as he emerges into the campsite.</p><p>His gaze zeros in on the mastermind behind the whole disaster and he makes a beeline for him, not minding whoever might be near.</p><p>“This is fucking ridiculous!” And Ren is not one to curse without a good reason.</p><p>“Yeah, Ren, I completely agree!” Horo crosses his arms over his chest and glares.</p><p>“Just because you are barely talented doesn’t make my teaching methods wrong.” Hao sniffs with disdain, raising his chin.</p><p>The sudden argument he stumbled onto somewhat brings Ren’s rightful rage to a standstill. He glances from Horo, to Hao and then to Choco, all gathered in a circle, with the Asakura sitting on an upturned log.</p><p>“Excuse you, I am very talented!” The Nordic barks. “And your teaching methods suck, dude!”</p><p>“I told you a thousand times, make the explanation stupidly simple.”</p><p>Shockingly, Choco is trying to play middleman, though there is enough visible resentment there.</p><p>“And what do <em>you</em> have to complain about now, Ren?” Hao turns to Ren then and the boy’s anger returns. </p><p>“Elemental control is a hoax!”</p><p>“So you still can’t do it.” Hao concludes and sighs with irritation. “I may be an incredibly powerful shaman, but I am no miracle worker. You idiots just don’t try hard enough.”</p><p>“I will show you who doesn’t try hard enough!”</p><p>Choco restrains Ren’s arms so he won’t be able to jump Hao.</p><p>Horo sighs. “How about we take a break?”</p><p>“Yes, a break would do you all good.” Hao readily agrees, if only to get them out of his hair. He turns to the irate Tao Ren, who he had thought would have a more stable head on his shoulders, but as usual, he was vastly disappointed to find out the truth. “How about a one on one fight against Horo?”</p><p>Both boys pause and turn their heads, seizing each other up. A slow smirk spreads over Ren’s face at the promise of an easy fight while a sleazy grin stretches over Horo’s lips, again, at the promise of an easy fight.</p><p>They nod and Hao sighs, glad to be done with that particular mess.</p><p>He glances to the remaining shaman, considering.</p><p>“Was it really that complicated?”</p><p>Choco, despite his apprehension, answers in a rare bout seriousness.</p><p>“Kind of. You certainly don’t make it better with your comments.” The boy sighs. “Think about it like this – if you think <em>you</em> understand, then it’s too complicated. <em>Make it easier</em> to understand.” Choco suddenly bares his teeth and Hao wonders for a second if he’s merged with his guardian ghost under his nose. “Otherwise we’ll have to put on some wigs and call ourselves Hao, too!”</p><p>He takes out a long haired wig from somewhere and drapes it over his head without much finesse.</p><p>Hao reaches up to rub his temples, nonchalantly summoning the spirit of fire to kick Choco’s unfunny ass.</p><p>The boy yelps and ducks around and Hao doesn’t stop his spirit because it’s good training.</p><p>Behind them, Tao Ren and Horo’s guardian spirits rise in their giant forms and start fighting.</p><p>This is how Yoh finds them.</p><p>He takes in the strange sight and doesn’t even bat an eye, already used to walking into previously impossible scenarios.</p><p>“Hey, guys.”</p><p>His brother looks up from his current task – torturing Choco – and welcomes him with a deadpan expression.</p><p>“What is it now, Yoh?”</p><p>If Yoh is taken aback by the abrasive tone, he doesn’t show it. Instead he smiles with amusement.</p><p>“I wanted to ask you something, ‘cause I just remembered.”</p><p>“Right, wait just a second.” Hao dismisses the spirit of fire and turns to Chocolove. The boy is breathing harshly but is otherwise unharmed, which would have been impossible a couple of weeks ago. “Find someone to spar with. Try to improve that speed of yours using your control over the air.”</p><p>“But <em>how</em>?”</p><p>Hao’s eyes narrow. “I already explained, but you keep saying that you don’t understand. So find a way yourself.”</p><p>He turns to Yoh then, a clear sign that the conversation is over.</p><p>Choco sighs, his whole body deflating. He spares Yoh a hopeless glance before he trudges out of there, presumably to enlist someone to fight with him.</p><p>“Well, little brother?” Hao prompts when Yoh has been too silent for much too long.</p><p>Something comes over his brother’s face then. A shadow that darkens his expression, turns it a little sour and serious. Hao’s never seen Yoh looking like this, so he is equally intrigued and sure that what he wants to say is important indeed. Maybe Yoh finally managed to obtain elemental control or maybe-</p><p>“I don’t like the name you chose for our team.”</p><p>Hao’s thought process screeches to a halt and, for a short moment, he feels unbalanced, as if he could fall at any moment from the log he’s perched on. But then his vision sharpens again and he is, most of all, frustrated and incredulous.</p><p>“What is <em>that</em> supposed to mean?”</p><p>He can feel a headache coming, and just the sharp tingling of it at the edge of his consciousness is enough to make him grit his teeth.</p><p>In the background, two titans clash.</p><p>“<em>Rapid temple assault!</em>”</p><p>“<em>Flatten his small ass, Kororo!</em>”</p><p>“’Team Star’,” Yoh’s nose scrunches up as if he just smelled something awful. Hao feels a vein in his temple pulse, “it’s awful and undescriptive.”</p><p>“The same thing I can say for ‘team Ren’ but I don’t hear them complaining.” The older teen bites back.</p><p>“Oh, they complained, don’t worry.” Yoh’s laughter is short lived. “How about we change it to something more awesome?”</p><p>“<em>To the face, Bason!</em>”</p><p>“Really? Like what?”</p><p>“<em>Renegade Hall!</em>”</p><p>“Like team Fire Samurai!”</p><p>Something deep inside Hao curls up and bares its teeth. “No chance.”</p><p>Yoh is undeterred though.</p><p>“Team Asakura?”</p><p>“They’ve been trying to kill me for one thousand years, so no.”</p><p>“Hm, fine. Team Supreme Twins?”</p><p>“I don’t-“</p><p>“I know!” His little brother snaps his fingers and looks at him with delight. “Team Hey Yo! You know like-“</p><p>Hao’s glare could melt a diamond. “You have three seconds to vanish from my sight before I do something unspeakable.”</p><p>At least Yoh takes his warning seriously because he doesn’t hesitate to jog away and head back towards the training grounds.</p><p>The older Asakura makes a mental note to never put Yoh in charge of anything related to <em>naming </em>stuff.</p><p>A large explosion shakes the ground. Most duck, but Hao doesn’t even look at the fire and ash traveling at a high speed towards him. They seem to pass through him when they hit, but his followers know better.</p><p>Hao takes the opportunity the loud explosion and smoke offer to groan out loud.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Look Faust, look!” Ryu exclaims with delight.</p><p>He feels like a new man, a better man.</p><p>This morning, he tried again, slightly fearful inside his soul that he is behind the others in terms of progress and Hao must surely have a fight very soon.</p><p>Ryu threw himself into meditation and didn’t move for hours. So convincing he was, that Tokagero almost thought he died. But Ryu simply emerged from the earth, reborn and a true warrior once more.</p><p>Now his friends all watch him with various expressions – Faust with an approving smile, Yoh with a delighted one and Ren with a conspicuously admiring expression. Horo and Choco were kidnapped by Hao again, but at least their comedian friend seemed to be in better spirits.</p><p>“Woah, Ryu! How are you doing that?”</p><p>Ryu grins, happy to see the shaman he so admires in awe of his newest skill.</p><p>“That’s pretty awesome Ryu, I’m not gonna lie.” His guardian spirit pokes at one of the earth snakes floating around his master with intense concentration.</p><p>Ryu struggles to keep the particles of earth under control. He offers a shaky grin, all the muscles in his body screaming from the invisible effort of sustaining all eight earth snakes.</p><p>“That one looks dumber than the others.” Ren points out with immense glee.</p><p>Ryu scoffs and rushes to defend his snake. “I don’t see you bursting a tornado out of your ass, short pants. Better not challenge people more powerful than you!”</p><p>As expected, a guandao slips under his chin. “Sorry, care to repeat that?”</p><p>Ryu’s eyes narrow on the short boy.</p><p>“Someone better call Hao before they start to fight each other again.” Faust warns.</p><p>Yoh scratches the back of his neck, obviously about to play peacekeeper. But first he turns to Faust and asks with interest.</p><p>“What about you, Faust? Did you manage to do something yet?”</p><p>The doctor smiles at Yoh and nods. He is once more half buried in the ground, but this time his hands are free.</p><p>“Yes, actually.”</p><p>Both Ryu and Ren stop their loud stare down and look at him. Yoh inwardly sighs with relief at the respite.</p><p>“I stayed up late last night and my efforts paid off.” Faust opens his palms and closes his eyes. “I knew from the beginning that my affinity is earth, especially because necromancy is so tied with all things mortal and earthly.”</p><p>“Huh, that makes sense.” Yoh agrees, already immersed in the explanation.</p><p>“I can’t exactly do what Ryu does, but…” Faust trails off and opens his eyes.</p><p>All around the clearing, the ground caves in the form of small holes and out of them, a plethora of skeletons rise. A couple are human – which isn’t a great sight to witness – but most are of animals. Small, very small and even large ones, all climb up and face their master.</p><p>“Wait, you literally just summoned a couple of skeletons and that’s it?”</p><p>“Not really.” Faust’s tone is dry, but his words are nothing if not polite. “I searched through the earth and pinpointed the remains of every creature that was once alive in a radius of three miles. It is very faint, but a small amount of furyoku lingers even after death. The same goes with humans, you just have to know what to look for. And I simply locked my furyoku onto the remains and helped them rise again.”</p><p>By the end, Yoh’s jaw hangs open and even Ren seems impressed.</p><p>“Good job, Faust. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.” They all look up to the top of the nearest tree and find Hao there, <em>somehow</em> propped up and sitting<em>. </em>“Necromancy is, after all, a variation of earth elemental control.” The immortal shaman turns his head. “You too, Ryu. Not only did you find elemental control, but both of you also designed your own techniques already, which is more than I can say about the slowpokes you associate yourselves with.”</p><p>He looks pointedly at Yoh, who barely seems repentant.</p><p>Not one to be touched by compliments when they come from anywhere but Yoh, Ryu clenches his fist and declares.</p><p>“Master Yoh will surely be able to find his elemental control as well.” The man looks down at the boy, eyes burning with belief.</p><p>“For his own good, I hope so.” Hao says disinterestedly. “Now that you two have achieved control, you will come with me for a more <em>thorough</em> training regimen. Horo and Chocolove just took a break when I left to see how you were doing.”</p><p>Faust nods and extracts himself from the ground.</p><p>Ryu lets whatever remains of his earth snakes fall in a heap on the ground and crosses his arms.</p><p>“Alright then.” A thumb up slips under Yoh’s nose. “Give them hell, master Yoh!”</p><p>Eliza waves and offers them a reassuring smile as Faust and Ryu retreat through the forest.</p><p>“You two stragglers should up on the speed. Time is almost up.” Hao leaves them with the ominous message and a slightly deranged smile.</p><p>“I do believe that your twin brother is psychotic, Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh snickers. “No question there. But we can’t choose our family.”</p><p>The words are underlined with double meaning and Ren huffs and starts back to the top of the waterfall.</p><p>Turning back, Yoh slips back into the silent determination he has cultivated. He can do it, he is sure of that, but he just needs to concentrate and find a foothold.</p><p>“Yoh, I am concerned.” Amidamaru floats next to him, brows drawn down with worry.</p><p>“Huh, why’s that, Amidamaru?”</p><p>The samurai glances from him to the empty husks of Ryu’s snakes and back again. Amidamaru doesn’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but his master also needs an incentive to accomplish this task faster. Yoh works very well under pressure, but a painful death is a little too near them for Amidamaru’s taste.</p><p>“You are – <em>kind of</em> – the only one left that has yet to achieve elemental control.”</p><p>“But Ren-“</p><p>“While Ren’s control is atrocious, it is <em>there</em>.” It kind of dawns on Yoh now what Amidamaru wants to say. “And well, yours <em>isn’t</em>.”</p><p>Yoh wants to say that he didn’t scream and panic, but that’s what he did. Still, he did manage to push through, if only because if he actually dies now, Anna will bring him back just to kill him again.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The air is so stale and dusty that Anna can taste it on her tongue.</p><p>There is no wind and no respite from the awful heat, and the worst is yet to come.</p><p>The whole arena pulses with anticipation. After almost four weeks without a match, team Star is finally fighting today. Or, in other, more fitting words, team Star is committing a massacre today.</p><p>“Do you think he will be here?” Manta asks tentatively, not daring to raise his voice above the constant buzz from the stands.</p><p>There is no need to wonder who ‘he’ is. Anna and her little group have heard enough rumors in their short stay in Dobi village to last a lifetime. Forget a casual round of gossip, the shaman fighters gathered here stand unequalled in their capacity to spread and over-embellish rumors.</p><p>Anna trusts Yoh, despite his many misgivings in the last two months. He never calls, never writes and just when they saw each other again, he jumps ship and joins his evil twin brother. It was enough to make Anna wonder if the problem is with her before she realized – in a fit of rightful anger – that, actually, the problem is <em>Yoh</em>.</p><p>Since then, she’s been placid and has since conformed with the manner of things. Oh, she will have <em>words </em>with Yoh, but she will not kill him or maim him very bad because, at the end of the day, Anna decided that she trusts Yoh’s judgment – as skewered as it is – and he still needs to become the shaman king.</p><p>Case in point, Anna doesn’t care at all for those rumors. If Yoh is really on Hao’s team, then it is his decision and maybe this means that his infiltration was successful, and he does have a plan after all.</p><p>Manta is still waiting, but this time Tamao, Jun and Lee Pai Long are also watching her. As is Silva, since he’s probably been banned to officially take charge of anything pertaining to Hao.</p><p>“I don’t know, Manta.” Anna says, tone clipped. “He might or might not be. Wait five minutes and we’ll find out.”</p><p>And find out they do. Five minutes in, just like Anna has predicted, they appear in a tornado of fire.</p><p>Anna will lie and say that her breath didn’t hitch, nor did something inside her chest uncoil when she finally saw Yoh with her very eyes after so long.</p><p>She senses that he is tired, yet his shoulders are squared, and his back is straight, not slouching like he usually likes to. And he is still dressed in his green jeans and white t-shirt, sword clutched in his right hand so tight his knuckles are white.</p><p>Anna bites her lip and unconsciously grips tighter at the fabric of the small satchel she brought with her.</p><p>“Yoh!” Manta’s exclamation comes out in a breathy whisper, as if he can’t quite believe that his friend is really there.</p><p>“Yoh-san…” Tamao clutches her hands to her chest. Anna sees a fearful gleam behind her eyes, and she cannot find it in herself to blame the girl.</p><p>If Anna wasn’t Anna, she would probably feel the same. But, again, Anna trusts Yoh and as long as she repeats that little mantra inside her head, she might as well start believing in it too.</p><p>“Now let the match between team Star and team Sparrow begin!”</p><p>Instead of the crowd cheering, silence stretches over the stadium, as if already mourning whatever souls will vanish tonight.</p><p>Yoh brings up the left flank and his brother the right. In the middle, there is a small girl with wild hair and an orange cloak. She seems the most relaxed as the Patch official declares the match started.</p><p>Their opponents hesitate at first, but finally decide to take things in their own hands, life or death. They launch themselves full speed at their opponents.</p><p>Anna’s gaze is so set on team Star that every microscopic movement is registered in her brain. The moment Hao starts to take a step forward, her heart plummets to her feet. She pinches her arm, giving herself an inward shake to wake up. Yoh would never let Hao kill three people in front of him, <em>he won’t</em>.</p><p>But Hao doesn’t manage to complete the motion because Yoh extends a hand to stop him.</p><p>Anna strains to make out whatever he says then, and the silence of the stands helps her in this effort.</p><p>“Let me, Hao.”</p><p>Hao looks ready to protest, but then his face melts into a self-satisfied expression and he relaxes in his spot.</p><p>Without much preamble – because the three opponent shamans are still hurtling towards them – Yoh unsheathes his sword. Amidamaru takes one moment to enter the medium and it’s just enough that Yoh is not instantly skewered by the enemy team, but he comes close enough.</p><p>Yoh ducks the first swing, makes a one eighty turn on his heels and swings at the closest one. It is a lucky shot, but it strikes true and the man stumbles to the ground.</p><p>The other two bare their teeth and advance. Their spirits are nothing unordinary, but they still are a headache and Yoh seems unwilling to deal with headaches today. He strikes with the double medium and fells the other two in one move.</p><p>But they aren’t dead, something at the back of Anna’s mind screams in something resembling relief. They have just been defeated and their spirit control shattered.</p><p>Yoh sheathes back his sword as he walks away. His gaze never strays from the ground in front of him.</p><p>Hao seems pleased and the little girl is jumping in place, obviously bored.</p><p>“Very good, Yoh.” The immortal shaman says this, but he still extends his hands. There are flickers of fire dancing on the line of his shoulders, along his arms and on his fingers and right then Anna knows that it was too good to be true. Even if Yoh didn’t finish off their opponents, Hao will gladly pick up where he left off. “Let’s rid the world of this trash.”</p><p>Before his brother can get very far into summoning his guardian spirit, Yoh turns his gaze towards him and right then Anna’s blood runs cold. Manta even takes a step back and a small yelp escapes Tamao.</p><p>She’s never seen such coldness in Yoh’s eyes before and even this would have been approachable, but not when it is coupled with the threatening glare he also sports. And Hao takes it all in stride, though his actions do stutter and his eyes narrow.</p><p>“Leave them, they are done. We won the fight.”</p><p>For a hot second, there is a silent staredown between them that seems partly never-ending. Anna hardly dares to breathe while Yoh and his brother nonverbally communicate over the fate of their adversaries.</p><p>But just as they are close to reaching a conclusion, the Patch official takes the initiative and declares the match over with team Star as the winners. A match that will probably go down in history because it was maybe the first someone inconsequential to his plans fought Hao in the tournament and <em>lived.</em></p><p>It was unseen before and even the crowd seems divided between excitement and confusion.</p><p>Yoh doesn’t linger. He strides towards the exit and leaves Anna’s field of view in under ten seconds.</p><p>Jun has to touch her arm to snap her from the stupor over what just transpired, and Anna visibly spurns herself to walk away to the exit. Just before she turns around, Hao’s eyes draw to hers like a magnet and she freezes in her the spot.</p><p>His eyes are like molten fire and it <em>burns</em>. When she hears his voice, it sounds furious and snarling.</p><p>“You have two minutes.”</p><p>She faces the exit and runs, but she doesn’t know where Yoh is. Anna just hopes that she will find him before Hao finds them.</p><p>He catches her arm as she jogs by and pulls her into a shadowed corner between two pillars. It is out of the way, but not effectively invisible and Anna knows that Yoh is counting on it.</p><p>They don’t have long, but he still wants to talk.</p><p>The first thing Anna does is apply her legendary left on his cheek, but Yoh seems to be expecting that. He forwards no protest, but he still fixes his pitiful puppy gaze on her as he rubs his swollen cheek.</p><p>He opens his mouth to say something, but Anna is working on autopilot and she won’t hear anything he has to say until her course is done. She steps back, slings a writhing glare in his direction as her mind supplies her with the general outlook of him. When she is satisfied with what she finds, she steps forward and throws herself against his chest.</p><p>Anna is not one for hugs and any other lovely-dovely displays of affection, but almost one full month ago Yoh scared the wind out of her and she still cannot recover. She needs to feel him solid and real and alive, and then maybe she can convince herself that he is insane, and this is really just a nightmare.</p><p>His arms come up to draw her nearer and he sighs against her hair.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Anna.”</p><p>Anna fights hard against the instinct to hit him again, mostly because she isn’t ready to let him go yet. So, her grip tightens, and she can only hope that it is painful enough instead.</p><p>“Of course you are, you idiot.”</p><p>They are silent for two heartbeats and it’s strange. Anna was so inclined to talk before, ready with a list of things she wanted to ask and to say, but now there is nothing on her mind other than the knowledge that Yoh is alright and not corrupted by his evil twin brother<em>. </em></p><p>She won’t bother guessing if Yoh is holding onto a monologue of his own because Anna learned through painful experience that she won’t ever understand her fiancé’s thought process.</p><p>Still, there are things eating at her and she needs to air them out lest the wounds fester.</p><p>“Please tell me that you at least have a plan, Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh hums and his chest vibrates with the action. Anna hides her sniffle with a scoff and prays that her eyes aren’t woefully filled with tears when she steps back to see his face.</p><p>There is still a red hand mark on his cheek, but otherwise he is unharmed. His face is set into a relaxed expression, but his eyes are soft on her and Anna wants to hit him again.</p><p>“Contrary to popular belief, I do have one.” He tries to laugh it off, but Anna just glares harder at him and he shuts up. Then he tries meekly. “Please believe me.”</p><p>Anna bites her tongue, if only because time is short, and Hao might get bored sooner rather than later.</p><p>“You make it difficult, but I am trying my best to do that. Here,” Anna extends the knapsack filled with the newest version of Yoh’s fighting clothes.</p><p>She would have turned around and called it a day, not only because she feels strangely uprooted and wrongfooted and it’s just Yoh’s fault.</p><p>But then Yoh steps forward in one fluid motion, reaches out with one hand for the sack and cups the back of her head with the other, bringing their foreheads together. It is a testament to his speed and Anna’s shock at his actions that she doesn’t instantly punch him in the nose.</p><p>The smile he gives her is too sweet to be worn by someone who had just betrayed her heart not very long ago.</p><p>“Thanks. Please promise me that you will look after the others and stop them from doing something stupid.”</p><p>A bubble of anger bursts in Anna’s chest and she bares her teeth at him.</p><p>“You mean something stupid like try to <em>help you</em>?”</p><p>Yoh’s expressions never wavers.</p><p>“I don’t need help Anna, I need you safe. The guys and I will take care of it, I promise.”</p><p>“Stop promising things you can’t control, Yoh.” And if there is one soul in the universe that will hear her voice break, it might as well be Yoh.</p><p>For his benefit, he doesn’t stop to acknowledge it. Instead his smile widens, and he steps back.</p><p>For the third time, Anna is left unbalanced, though she is prepared for the storm that is Hao to appear behind them. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up long before the boy himself materialized in a blaze of flaming coals.</p><p>“Are you just about done, little brother?” Hao’s gaze pendulates between the two of them.</p><p>Yoh grins sunnily at him. “Yeah, I am! Let’s go.”</p><p>Anna waits for any other sign from Yoh – something that will give her any idea if he’s held against his will – but he only walks up to Hao, knapsack and sword in tow.</p><p>Hao does not wait for any other refined declarations, he simply finishes with, “It’s always a pleasure, Anna.”</p><p>The placid smile burns up along with the rest of him and Yoh.</p><p>The air in the hall rapidly loses whatever instance of heat it held, and the temperature drops acutely. Anna leans back against the cool cement of the nearest pillar and looks up to the cracked structure, trying in vain to calm her wildly beating heart.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“He said <em>what</em>?”</p><p>“So he’s okay?” Manta’s face splits into a smile. “I’m so glad.” His eyes glimmer with unshed tears of relief.</p><p>But Silva is not deterred. He leans forward over the table, a frown marring his features and asks. “Are you sure, Anna?”</p><p>But Anna is emotionally spent and tired from the whole encounter, so she glares at him and snaps.</p><p>“Yes, now stop asking stupid questions! I already told you everything that happened.” With fewer personal details, that is.</p><p>Silva leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest, unconvinced.</p><p>Despite her calm appearance, Jun is simply reeling herself from asking after her brother when Yoh never mentioned anything about the guys to Anna.</p><p>“At least they are fine.” Tamao sighs and tries to see the light at the end of the tunnel.</p><p>Sadly, said light might just be a train, Anna thinks sarcastically.</p><p>“Let’s hope they really are.”</p><p>Then the girl turns to Silva.</p><p>“Did you manage to find out anything?”</p><p>The man sinks further in his seat.</p><p>“I did manage to find a theoretical location of their camp. An informant told me that it is localized on the northwestern part of Dobi’s forest.”</p><p>“It’s not like we will bust in, so that information is kind of useless.” Anna says, merciless and Manta cringes. “Anything else?”</p><p>If Silva is bothered, he does not show it.</p><p>“They also told me about the newest additions to the group. The boys were permitted to join because of Yoh, but they’ve made incredible progress in the time they’ve been there. Though they are untouchable because of Yoh, many of Hao’s own followers have only good things to say about them.”</p><p>“In conclusion, they made friends. How cute.” Jun’s smile is bittersweet, and Anna wants to giggle, but that would mean giving up on her glare.</p><p>“I think that it could have been worse.” Tamao offers her input on the matter and Manta nods in agreement.</p><p>“It can always be worse.” Anna says dismissively. “Let’s hope they won’t get too friendly.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Never mess with a man's precious hairdo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>“Man, you guys were so slow, Choco and I already mastered elemental control!” Horo boasts and laughs along with Choco.</p><p>Chocolove wiggles his brows with a sleazy grin and makes a swiping motion, curling his fingers like a claw.</p><p>“We are as fast as the fastest cheetah.” Suddenly, there are cheetah spots painted all over Choco’s face and arms. “And we couldn’t do it without the leader of the pack, Hao!” Probably using his newly minted elemental control, or more likely the <em>wind of laughter</em>, Choco seems to teleport behind Hao and somehow manages to place a pair of cheetah ears on his head.</p><p>There is a moment when everyone holds their breath, living or dead. Hao himself had his eyes closed and was probably minding his own business when he was involuntarily pulled into the stand-up act of the other shaman.</p><p>Yoh silently braces himself to jump in and save Choco’s skin, while the others look on with various degrees of worry and confusion over the joke. But Ren is mostly interested to see how this plays out, not only because now that Choco has a new target for his bad jokes, it is <em>funny</em>. Especially when it comes to seeing Hao tormented with bad comedy constantly.</p><p>One heartbeat passes before the spirit of fire materializes from thin air and punches Choco away from his master.</p><p>“Cheetah don’t hunt in packs.” Hao says calmly as he takes off the offending headband and lights it on fire with just a look.</p><p>“But they are friends…” They somehow hear Choco’s voice from where he landed after the fire spirit blew him away.</p><p>Mic sighs loudly and jogs to his master’s side.</p><p>Horo slaps his forehead, though an amused smile plays on his lips. “Stupid Choco still hasn’t learned.”</p><p>Yoh laughs good-naturedly. “You guys should have realized by now that he won’t ever learn.”</p><p>Ren grunts. “Which is a shame really, but let’s let bygones be bygones.”</p><p>Hearing Ren’s gritty and insufferable voice is as good an incentive as any for Choco to come back from the dead.</p><p>“I’m not dead, you know!”</p><p>“He should have been, but I must admit that you guys evolved somewhat during your training.” Hao rests his cheek in his fist, bored. His gaze trails over the congregation with restless disinterest. “It is also close to a miracle that you <em>all</em> managed to gain a semblance of elemental control in just a few short weeks.”</p><p>“And you said that you aren’t a miracle worker!” Yoh chuckles, obviously pleased with himself that he proved his brother wrong.</p><p>Hao’s eyebrow twitches but he does not forward an answer. Instead, he fixes his brother with his most meaningful glare and watches his friends take one step back before he fires onto the poor boy.</p><p>“You are the worst one off, little brother. Even Ren managed to do it well in the homestretch.”</p><p>Yoh’s face crumples and he looks like he just swallowed a whole lemon.</p><p>Tao Ren, instead of being extremely repentant and thoughtful of his almost-brush with death, is instead smirking at Hao’s brother, pleased with himself and his mediocre skills. Hao tries his best not to set him on fire too, if only because Yoh would be a nightmare to deal with afterwards.</p><p>“That was definitely not a compliment. You two are the worst of the lot along with Horo.”</p><p>“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>The immortal shaman turns a blank look in the Nordic’s direction.</p><p>“It means that your skills have not improved enough in the large amount of time you’ve had at your disposal. Which is why I’m taking over your training and keeping a close eye on you.”</p><p>“So the others aren’t going to see your mug so much, but we have to?” Horo groans and Yoh winces at the poor wording of the phrase. Ren closes his eyes and turns his chin with a huff.</p><p>Hao’s fingers twitch, and he wonders if it really would be that bad to deal with a grief-stricken Yoh instead of these losers.</p><p>“Horo…” His little brother, at least, has the decency to look at his friend with a scolding expression on his face.</p><p>“Ugh, <em>fine</em>.”</p><p>“Be positive, my little icy friend,” Ryu pats the younger boy on the back reassuringly, though judging by Horo’s successive bouts of winces, he didn’t measure his power well, “some of us just take longer to get there.”</p><p>Not in the least comforted, Horo scowls up at him. “Are you calling me dumb, Ryu? ‘Cause that’s what I’m hearing.”</p><p>Ryu’s mouth is open in a rebuke, but Ren cuts across him more effectively than any blade.</p><p>“No, he made you dumb because you <em>are </em>dumb. What I’m most offended about is that he made <em>me</em> dumb and that is absolutely unforgivable!”</p><p>Guandao whipped out, Ren advances in Ryu’s direction. To his credit, the older man simply takes out his wooden sword, ready to start brawling.</p><p>That’s the exact moment when two oracle bells ring in quick succession.</p><p>All activity ceases at the sound and the gathering looks around, trying to find the perpetrators. They are quite far away from camp, so there can’t be any of the other teams. Hao is at least ninety nine percent sure that the Patch council will not dare give him another fight so soon.</p><p>So the question is between team Ren and team Dead End – not patented, but those three losers comprising the team have argued long and hard over the name. Hao is still reeling over the fact that Luchist is such a dork under that heavy cloak and slimy attitude.</p><p>But only two oracle bells chimed, and in Hao’s mind, the conclusion is obvious. Not so much for his slower little brother as, after he chances a glance at his own oracle bell, he finds the need to ask.</p><p>“Whose was it?”</p><p>“It’s us.” Faust says with a level tone and no trace of emotion on his face. He exchanges a glance with Ryu over the distance, but Hao thinks they, at least, will be alright. And if not, then Luchist will take care of everything because the older Asakura trusts that he will be able to accomplish that.</p><p>“That’s great! You’re finally having a fight.” Yoh smiles, happy for his friends.</p><p>Ryu immediately grins widely in agreement. “Don’t worry, master Yoh! We will wipe the floor with those guys and be done by brunch.”</p><p>“By what, dude? Is that another main island term that I don’t get?”</p><p>Hao is partly thankful that Horo is as uninformed as he is about this ‘brunch’ thing. Not that he will be caught dead admitting to that.</p><p>Ryu thrusts a deeply unsettling glance in Horo’s direction. It is a cross between pity and exasperation, which makes Ren snort scornfully in the other boy’s direction.</p><p>“It’s more of a civilization term, ice cube.” Ryu answers evenly.</p><p>“Well, explain it better!”</p><p>They are so very absorbed in their discussion and the sun is dipping towards the horizon, considering that the light is steadily dimming. Hao thinks over his options and concludes that he may, at least, only torture one poor soul tonight.</p><p>“Tomorrow morning at eight sharp you will be near the waterfall.” Hao instructs, breaking through the haze of their conversation. They turn and look up at him and he clarifies. “Horo, Ren and Yoh.”</p><p>“But I wanted to see them fight-!”</p><p>This far into pressing each other’s buttons, Hao only has to narrow his eyes for them to get the message.</p><p>“Don’t worry guys, I’m gonna go see their fight.” Choco reassures them with a smile.</p><p>“Nice!” Yoh crosses his arms behind his head and yawns. “Best of luck to you guys tomorrow. See you in the morning, Hao!”</p><p>Would you look at that? The poor kid thinks he will escape so easily.</p><p>“Not that fast, little brother. You are by far the worst of the lot, so supplementary lessons are on the menu tonight.”</p><p>“<em>Awww</em>.” Yoh pouts and maybe he thinks that it will work, but it won’t. Hao had thought that Anna had already <em>discouraged</em> him of the notion.</p><p>Still, his brother stops and turns to trudge back towards his older brother. His friends shoot him glances full of pity, but scutter away through the underbrush back to camp.</p><p>“So what do I have to do?”</p><p>Hao directs his gaze from where he’d previously trained it on the group’s disappearing backs. His brother is waiting with a curious expression on his face.</p><p>But he doesn’t need to do much, rather it is Yoh who must do all the work.</p><p>Hao flicks his hand and summons three circles of fire that gradually shrink the closer they get to his brother.</p><p>Yoh gasps and throws him a glare, but Hao is barely affected by the animosity in his eyes. Now is not the time to kick back and relax.</p><p>“Your performance in the fight yesterday left a lot to be desired, but the result was acceptable. Unfortunately, I still have many things that I want you to learn, little brother, so you will have to learn to <em>move faster</em>.”</p><p>Another circle springs to life and Yoh takes one step back, fully in the middle of the inferno.</p><p>“And you will do it right. Escape to safety before you burn to death.”</p><p>“What if I can’t?” Yoh asks mutinously.</p><p>“Then you will burn and pray that Faust can fix you. Though I’d rather not bother the good doctor tonight when he has a fight tomorrow, don’t you agree?”</p><p>The notion does not bring Yoh any semblance of relief, but it offers instead a much needed slap over the face, since Anna’s didn’t do much. Hao watches his brother close his eyes and wonders what his strategy is before he remembers that Yoh is not one for well, thought out plans. Either way, he must be trying to do something like he did before.</p><p>Long rounds of physical training did help center Yoh somewhat, Hao saw it as obviously as night and day. They also increased his power of concentration and allowed him to access something more than just his connection with Amidamaru.</p><p>In pure dramatic Yoh fashion, he made it, but only just. Hao is still surprised that he had the energy to put up such a fight in the arena when the night before his little brother had been running around the woods.</p><p>The flames of the first circle waver and start to sputter, just like the tip of the torch that night. Yoh’s scrunched up eyes and gritted teeth are a sight for sore eyes, yet Hao doubts that this will be of much help. He needs to be able to exert control with his eyes open as well as closed. He will have to see where the enemy is coming from, after all.</p><p>Hao rests his chin on his crossed fingers, settling in to watch Yoh’s success or demise. He is proficient enough to be able to discern the minute changes of the flames and he can tell that what Yoh is trying to do is ultimately stupid.</p><p>“You have got it all wrong, Yoh.” Hao jumps down to the ground and walks towards Yoh without much care that there are four tall walls of flames standing in between them. “You try to fight against the flames, just like two days ago. The only thing you managed to do was smother that flame and kill it.”</p><p>Yoh’s eyes are wide while he watches his brother walk through the flames with rapt attention.</p><p>“Stop wasting time trying to <em>stop</em> the flames, Yoh. That is not what elemental control means. What you need to do is become one with the fire. Draw it into your heart and soul and spurn the flames to burn brighter.” He stops just a step shy of his little brother.</p><p>Yoh watches his brother’s serene face. There is not even a bead of sweat on his skin to signal that he even <em>feels </em>the heat surrounding them.</p><p>“You are still afraid.”</p><p>And Yoh doesn’t know where the reply comes from, but it just bursts out of his mouth.</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“So long as you are afraid, you will continue to fail.” Surprisingly, Hao laughs and it is enough to jar Yoh out of his morbid stupor. “Such a strange specimen you are. Always looking ahead with a bright view over what’s to come, yet you get scared of a little flame in the present.”</p><p>If he’s going to be honest, Yoh is kind of offended by that one.</p><p>“I gotta admit that fire wasn’t my favorite plaything when I was young.” And he hopes that the bite in his tone and the splintering look find their ways home. “Not to mention that you are not exactly a great example to follow.”</p><p>Hao’s mouth curls into an ironic smirk as he moves a little more into Yoh’s personal space. It’s like looking into a mirror and it has Yoh almost stepping back because seeing Hao from a distance is one thing. Seeing the same shape of the nose they share and that Yoh always cursed, the same color in the same pair of eyes, it is at least a little bit difficult to get used to, even after all this time.</p><p>“You told me that you will negotiate with me, so that maybe I won’t kill all the human trash on this planet and the weak and ignorant shamans that fell behind.” Hao reminds him, if only because he likes an actual challenge, even relishes it. And Yoh has given him nothing in the time he’s joined him. He’s getting a little bored and is through with playing babysitter. “But how are you planning to accomplish that when you are so very weak, Yoh? These childish trivialities must perish if you want to live past tonight.”</p><p>And it might be a scorned-upon strategy, but Hao thinks he’s a damn magician beyond the obvious status of genius because his brother takes his words to heart and starts <em>to do something</em>.</p><p>Something that soon transforms into confidence and then into power.</p><p>Pleased, Hao smiles when the last of the flames have been sucked into the trembling ball of fire caught between Yoh’s hands. He watches it in wonder, as if confused about what he can actually do with it.</p><p>“Many things, little brother.” Hao reads the boy as easily as any open book. “But not tonight. This forest has suffered enough.”</p><p>Hao guides the flames away and into oblivion.</p><p>Night falls around them, mercilessly dark. There is a short pause, punctuated only by an insane ruckus coming from the camp. Hao will have to remedy that, but first, he searches out Yoh through the landscape and the corner of his mouth lifts when he locates him, standing still with shock.</p><p>“Now you can see what you are capable of when you don’t let your fear control you.”</p><p>Silence follows his statement. Hao frowns, hoping for his brother’s sake that Yoh isn’t ignoring him. But then a dull thud echoes through the clearing and Hao blinks, taken aback. He ambles carefully in the general direction of his brother, summoning a small flame to guide his way better.</p><p>He finds Yoh snoring, limbs thrown in every direction and soot covering every inch of his skin and clothes. Still, his little brother sleeps with a smile on his face and it has Hao unknowingly reciprocate the expression. He lets the flame in his palm die out and rests on the ground near him.</p><p>The campsite is still full of life, but Hao decides that they are allowed to have that privilege tonight.</p><p>It takes a solid five minutes for Amidamaru to find the courage and materialize above Yoh. As a general rule, the samurai keeps away when his master is training with his older brother, mostly because Amidamaru still doesn’t trust Hao completely. But he also stays away because he trusts Yoh, and has taken it upon himself to give them a few brotherly moments without interruptions.</p><p>“Master Hao,” Amidamaru drifts slightly in his direction, his tone uncertain, “I can look after master Yoh if you wish to return to camp. I doubt that he will wake up before dawn tomorrow.”</p><p>Hao hums under his breath, pondering on the samurai’s words and arriving at the answer pretty quickly.</p><p>“It’s alright, Amidamaru.” The immortal shaman reassures the spirit. “I will take the first watch tonight.”</p><p>The samurai seems taken aback for a moment, but then he nods and disappears. Hao does not doubt that Amidamaru will return after he falls asleep. These forests are far from safe, but they are hardly a death threat to any shaman worth their salt.</p><p>He shoots Yoh one last glance. The boy looks a little too peaceful sleeping in the middle of the clearing, charred grass that is still smoking under his head.</p><p>Hao sighs and his breath is lost in the wind.</p><p>“Such a peculiar person you are, little brother.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“This is so strange.”</p><p>It is the first thing Manta says as they take their seats in the stands. He squints at the sky, but it remains clouded over with dark clouds that no doubt signal it is about to rain.</p><p>“I don’t think that’s how deserts work.”</p><p>“And are you suddenly a desert expert?” Anna asks snidely, arms crossed and sunglasses perched on her head, useless in the sunless weather.</p><p>“No but,” Manta relents even as his brows furrow, “this isn’t even the rainy season. It should be dry and hot.”</p><p>“I, for one, am thankful for this weather.” Jun sighs, pleased as she leans back in her plastic seat. “The heat is starting to get to me.”</p><p>“That’s true.” Tamao meekly agrees from Manta’s other side.</p><p>The short boy looks around with interest at the other patrons populating the stadium. The stands aren’t bursting as they were at team Star’s fight, but they are pretty full anyways. It is kind of expected though, considering that a team considered ‘Hao’s followers’ – and Manta shudders at the adjective – are supposed to fight against a team that is so powerful, they say it can control nature itself.</p><p>Which is kind of ridiculous, Manta thinks as he watches another group of shamans settle down a couple of rows in front of them. No one can really control nature.</p><p><em>Well, besides Hao, but that guy is ridiculous</em>, Manta thinks, fingers tapping on his thigh as he waits for the battle to commence. </p><p>Team Dead End, they were shocked to discover, comprises of two of their friends - namely Ryu and Faust - and another man named Luchist Lasso. An unknown variable, even after the research Manta did on him. He only found one image of the man as a priest, taken in front of a church.</p><p>It was unnerving enough to click the page closed and relent in his search. Either way, the man must be powerful if he is a follower of Hao.</p><p>“Isn’t that…?” Lee Pai Long trails off, though his index finger is still up and pointing in a seemingly random direction.</p><p>Manta and the rest of the gang look to where he’s pointing to and gasp – all save for Anna; she just throws the perpetrators a derisive glance. Seated in the row closest to the rail that marks off the beginning of the second level and the end of the first level, Chocolove tries to make himself inconspicuous by using a ridiculously large sunhat and a brown jacket. The only problem is that his hair is all but bursting out from under the brim and very visible, while his jacket doesn’t quite manage to hide his colorful skirt. There is also the fact that Lee Pai Long has seen his face first and foremost.</p><p>“Oh look, an idiot.” Anna’s charming personality knows no limits. “Tamao, why don’t you go and invite Chocolove to join us up here? The view is better from this row.”</p><p>Tamao rightfully yelps, but hurries when she is subjected to Anna’s deadly stink eye. The girl slinks away with a whimper and then they are watching a miniature disaster unfold.</p><p>Chocolove jumps two feet into the air when Tamao addresses him and Manta swears that he is trembling. His head turns this way and that until he finally finds them.</p><p>Manta tries to offer a friendly wave, but Anna’s eyes shine maliciously in the soft light filtering through the clouds above. Choco all but drags himself up the stairs to their row.</p><p>“H-Hey, guys! Surprised to see you here!” The boy’s face is frozen into a caricature of a smile.</p><p>“And where, pray tell, would you have us be?” Anna bites back and Manta hears a bark at the back of his head.</p><p>Chocolove shrinks under her cutting glare.</p><p>“It’s nice to see you, Choco.” Jun offers a sweet smile and gestures to him to take a seat next to Manta.</p><p>Since Tamao was the last to enter the row, she ends up on the last chair. Manta sees her tense, but not decidedly uncomfortable so he relaxes and shoots Choco a reassuring grin.</p><p>“I’m sure glad to see you, Choco. You alright?”</p><p>Still wary of Anna – and honestly, the others as well – the shaman boy nods slowly. Manta is dumbfounded to find the boy who always cracked jokes, as bad as they were, to be so silent and reserved.</p><p>It is another pebble in the lake full of pebbles that form one of Manta’s worst nightmares. It signals that maybe things won’t be exactly as they left them with the guys when they eventually see them again. It means that it is a possibility they changed, and it must mean that they really are on Hao’s side, as much as Manta and the others like to pretend otherwise.</p><p>Choco looks like he’s sitting right into the enemy territory when Manta thought he’d be ecstatic to get to see them again.</p><p>Heart withered into a small ball inside his chest, Manta turns his eyes to the arena, where the fight is ready to commence.</p><p>The proctor extends both hands, inviting the opposing teams forward.</p><p>“Team Thunder Gods versus team Dead End,” Silva glances to his right and then to his left, “fight!”</p><p>Ryu awards their opponents an unimpressed stare as they jump back a few meters away. There are two men and one woman, all dressed in blue-green jumpsuits with hoods and pants that hit just under their knees, where they get lost under the tall rubber boots they wear on their feet.</p><p>“They look like they are about to save their grandma from the flood.” Luchist snorts with contempt.</p><p>Ryu can’t find any excuse to give them, because they really look just about to venture into the unknown waters after a particularly heavy flood.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Why are they just standing there?” Manta asks. He chances a look at Choco, but the boy is unnaturally serious as he watches the fight unfold.</p><p>“Who knows, but I hope they are going to do something and fast.” Despite her words, Anna purses her lips and a strange emotion passes over her face.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“They’ve been preparing their attack for a while now.” Faust steps forward with Eliza at his side.</p><p>“All morning, by the looks of it.” Luchist agrees, looking to the sky. Ryu notes that he barely looks concerned.</p><p>“We should go and end the fight before they have a chance to use it then.” He feels the familiar fiery determination burn through his veins, but Luchist stops him short.</p><p>“It’s too late.” But there is a smirk on his face. “We should enjoy the show.”</p><p>He takes out a gun and pulls the trigger, calling forth his guardian spirit that looks ridiculously like the spirits trending with the X-Laws. But its name is Lucifer and it is made to kill X-Laws, so there is that.</p><p>Ryu calls for Tokagero but hesitates to join in with giant spirit form along with Faust and Luchist. He watches their opponents barely give any outward reaction to their offensive actions.</p><p>“It is too late for you now.”</p><p>The woman speaks for the first time ever in a gravelly voice. The tattoos snaking over her arms and face glow with a strange light. It makes Ryu shift the grip on his weapon and bring it up in front of his face.</p><p>His eyes narrow when the same thing happens with her teammates and they seem to glow until they form a miniature sun. That is when the sky breaks and rain crashes down along with thunder and lighting.</p><p>Ryu struggles to see through the sudden downpour, but it is as hard as walking through jelly. The sheets of rain are so dense, it’s ridiculous. The former gang leader has never experienced anything like this before.</p><p>“Ryu!” Faust’s voice filters through the dense curtain, but Ryu can barely make out the tip of his sword. He has no chance of reuniting with the doctor in these conditions.</p><p>A mighty clash echoes through the rain and Ryu startles and looks up. He sees nothing, but there is definitely an ongoing battle somewhere, maybe to his right. So it is probably Luchist.</p><p>In answer, the rain falls harder until the hits are so powerful, they make dents in the ground and bring him down to lean on one knee.</p><p>All of a sudden, a shadow looms over him. He looks up and finds the woman, eyes two voids filled with a darkness that flows onto her cheeks. She looks like one of those gory monsters in Magnet’s favorite horror movies that Ryu hates with a passion. The rain doesn’t seem to affect her either and it is just peachy.</p><p>Ryu stifles the first slivers of panic, reflexive as they are at the image she makes. His skin crawls as the woman draws nearer, a long bladed knife clutched in her hand. Lightning hits it and the electricity flows through the blade, but she barely seems to feel it.</p><p>He watches the trajectory of the blade and it’s going straight for his neck - <em>Ryu move!</em></p><p>Ryu skidders away just in time, though she does manage to cut a few strands of his hair. His perfect cut is once more frizzled and, worse, carbonized. His nose scrunches up at the awful smell and something at the back of his mind wails about his haircut again but Ryu simply crawls to his feet and bares his teeth at the <em>creature</em>.</p><p>“No one touches my hairdo!” His rageful yell reverberates around them as Ryu launches attack after attack, but not even Tokagero’s special moves touch her.</p><p>Electricity surges again and Ryu almost bites it for real this time. But Tokagero sends a snake and trips him, fast enough that the blade goes right past his nose and he falls on his back. The rain increases yet again, as if urging him to stay put and meet his fate, but Ryu has always been a hands on kind of guy.</p><p>“It’s useless!” The woman hisses when she sees him on his feet yet again. She’s just toying with him, Ryu is quite aware of that. “We control nature itself! You have no chance of beating us!”</p><p>Hail starts falling from the sky. Ryu grits his teeth, feeling the pounding of a million ice spheres as they fall on him from the mighty heavens. He is once more at an impasse.</p><p>His knowledge of shamans is quite recent, so he is not as versed in all the different cultures and different tribes that exist. But his own adventures and experiences brought him to a point where he can say, quite surely, that no one can control Mother Nature.</p><p>Sure, Hao had them learn what he calls ‘elemental control’, but Ryu can see that it is not exactly <em>‘control</em>’ what they do.</p><p>He let it be, since arguing with Hao will bring more pain than equity, but one thing is for certain. And it is why, Ryu thinks, Yoh and the others are struggling with it.</p><p>They don’t control the elements and command them, not really. They simply lend their furyoku, merge it with the element they found the most affinity with and ask it very nicely if it could lend them its power. At the end of the day, it is an exchange and one they will suffer from if they dare cheat.</p><p>Ryu cannot imagine ever ordering the very soil of this earth to work against its natural purpose.</p><p>Which is why the sky seems to be breaking apart with the awful power these shamans wield. It is as repulsive as it is scandalous. And for what they are doing now, they will come to regret it.</p><p>“Let me make one thing clear.” The ground below his feet shakes and Ryu’s mouth pulls up into a smile. “No one orders nature around. At least not for long.”</p><p>Far to the right, Lucifer’s wings stretch, and the giant flies off.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“I can’t see anything!” Manta’s hands are in his hair and his eyes are moving wildly, trying to get a glimpse beyond the curtain of rain.</p><p>The strange, unnatural phenomenon is concentrated on the ground of the arena, so the spectators are safe but also bored because there is literally nothing visible besides maybe a glimpse or two of Luchist’s guardian spirit.</p><p>Eliza has thoroughly disappeared, and she was a sight for sore eyes indeed. Manta might have even hugged Faust, if he’d had the chance to talk to both him and Ryu.</p><p>“They are using a strange technique.” Chocolove frowns, arms crossed tightly over his chest. “That rain is definitely not natural.”</p><p>Anna snorts. “Of course it isn’t.</p><p>But Manta blinks, remembering the rumors he heard before the fight began. “What do you mean? It’s rain, and they seem to be controlling it.”</p><p>Choco leans forward, biting on his thumbnail. “That’s the problem.”</p><p>The seats below them vibrate and the whole arena seems to shake. Suddenly, Lucifer exits the fishbowl of rain. It floats above the stands and hundreds of heads turn, mouths open.</p><p>A scream cuts above the din and Manta’s eyes widen when he spots the human struggling in Lucifer’s clutch. He is brought to eye level with Luchist, who demands that the rain stop, but the enemy refuses. A murder happens right before their eyes and yet behind the grief, Manta is mainly worried about his other friends.</p><p>The rain seems to lighten up marginally though.</p><p>Luchist doesn’t make any move to jump back into the fray. He waits and watches carefully from the sidelines.</p><p>A few moments later, they are reminded that there was no need for him to interfere in the first place.</p><p>Earthquakes shake the stadium, several in short order, until the rain phenomenon stops. Hail and deep gouges are left in their wake, but the most worrying of all is the large hole in the middle of the stadium.</p><p>Eliza is nowhere to be seen, but the second man on team Thunder screams bloody murder. A bony skeleton hand grips at his ankle, but he somehow manages to break away and run towards his teammate’s side, yet he doesn’t quite make it.</p><p>“It’s time to rise and shine.” Faust opens his arms, a rendition of a welcoming gesture.</p><p>Manta has a sudden feeling of déjà vu and he whimpers into his hoodie as a large skeleton exits the largest hole. But it is not human - it is a panther-like monstrosity, big enough to give giant spirit control a run for its money.</p><p>“He dug deep for that one.” Choco’s voice breaks through their stupefied staring.</p><p>Every eye on the row shifts in his direction and the comedian clears his throat at the sudden attention.</p><p>“Is that not the necromancy spell that is Faust’s specialty?” Anna asks carefully as the panther swipes with bony claws at its opponent.</p><p>“Not really.” Choco seems to have been sent their way today to bring strange new revelations. “I mean it is, but it’s not exactly only necromancy. Look at that,” he juts his chin forward where other skeletons erupt from the ground in short order, “Faust barely wastes furyoku on that giant because it’s only a flashy distraction. The real deal are those skeletons erupting from the ground.”</p><p>An army of animal bones and human bones, all stitched together in various stages of completion, form the pretty compelling image of an angry mob. They advance towards their target with professional practicality and curl their bony appendages all over the screaming man soon enough.</p><p>Everyone including his remaining teammate watches as the ground opens up in the perfect rendition of a square and the mob doesn’t hesitate to tumble inside. The enemy’s screams are muffled in the mass of bones and they are lost completely when the earth closes up again, leaving nothing but unmarred ground behind.</p><p>Three things happen in quick succession then.</p><p>The woman, last in her team, screams bloody murder and launches herself and her dangerous-looking knife in Ryu’s direction. But instead of doing the sensible thing and counter attack, their eccentric friend simply embeds his sword into the ground and looks on.</p><p>Manta wonders whether this is a statement or a meaningful message, because Ryu is known to do these kinds of things. But when the eccentric man closes his eyes, it dawns on Manta that he has no clue what his friend plans on doing, which brings a whole slew of fresh fears to wash over him.</p><p>“I have nothing against you,” Ryu begins then, and the woman’s steps halt when a snake grabs her leg in its mouth.</p><p>Manta would have cheered, had it not been for Jun’s observation that the snake was made out of <em>earth</em>.</p><p>“But I do have something against people who cannot recognize the might of Mother Nature.” More snakes slither over the ground, fangs made of sharp rocks and eyes out of red gemstones picked from deep inside the earth’s crust. “And that is why you’ve lost today.”</p><p>With that said, the woman is knocked out by the snakes’ combined attack.</p><p>Ryu holds a satisfied smile on his face as his teammates walk up to his side and Silva declares team Dead End the winner.</p><p>“That was earth elemental control.” Anna’s voice seems to come from pretty far away considering that she is sitting right next to Manta.</p><p>“It was.” Choco agrees easily. “Don’t think we’ve been doing nothing in the past month.”</p><p>“What I’m afraid of is that you were doing the <em>wrong </em>things.” The itako’s tone is heavy. “Instead of sabotaging Hao, you are blowing wind in his train.”</p><p>The boy wants to say something, judging by his open mouth, but then he closes it without a sound.</p><p>“It’s not my place to say anything about this, Anna.”</p><p>“Then why are you here? To babysit those three?”</p><p>The laugh Choco gives them is raw and wobbly.</p><p>“Me? Impossible. Didn’t you see them?” His uncertain smile melts away into that accursed serious expression he seems to favor today. “But I did have a day off and I decided to come here and support my friends.”</p><p>He turns serious eyes onto Anna, but she barely acknowledges the weight of his gaze.</p><p>“I thought that Yoh already talked to you.”</p><p>“He said nothing of interest.” Anna claims as such, but Manta is aware that she is fishing for answers more than anything else. Because Yoh said some things, but not enough and they have nothing to go on with.</p><p>“It’s none of my business. And last I spoke to Yoh, he didn’t say that I could run my mouth, so I won’t.” His expression is apologetic. “Sorry.”</p><p>“I am getting tired of apologies, Chocolove. And of this guessing game.” Anna turns an unsettling glare on the comedian. “Tell Yoh that I want concrete answers next time we see each other or it’s over for him.”</p><p>Choco’s mouth thins into a line, realizing the gravity of Anna’s words.</p><p>“What’s over for him, Anna?” Tamao chooses the worst timing and question to pose.</p><p>Anna doesn’t even hesitate. “Life.”</p><p>The clairvoyant yelps and stands straighter in her seat.</p><p>“Yo, Chocolove!”</p><p>The group turns towards the source of the yell. On the aisle between the stands is the trio that attacked the boys two months ago and the blue haired girl is waving in Choco’s direction.</p><p>The comedian jumps to his feet, as if burned, and starts to make his excuses.</p><p>“Gotta go! It was nice seeing you!”</p><p>He jogs to their side with a joke on his lips and doesn’t look back. He gets two laughs and a bump over the head, but Manta supposes that it’s all in a day’s work.</p><p>The short boy notices the fixed glares and the narrowed eyes all around him. Tamao looks, most of all, helpless at the sight. But Anna has knives in her eyes and a tight expression on her face. Jun’s mouth is set into a grim line and Lee Pai Long shakes his head like he’s disappointed.</p><p>Manta though – he is only happy that his friends are alive. It's sad that things are changing and the stuff that happened is drawing a yawning maw between them. But Manta is, most of all, awed at their newest skills, even as unbridled worry haunts his shadow every single step of the way.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A complete and certified disaster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>Team Ren has another fight a few days after the explosive display of team Dead End.</p><p>Their opponents are a team of military men that have a recurring theme going around them, just like the majority of all other shamans in this tournament.</p><p>As much as Ren preached in the beginning that he does not need any friends and teammates, now Horo and Choco come in handy, especially when it comes to thinning out the herd.</p><p>Choco’s dexterity with elemental control has evolved in leaps and bounds, much more than his peers. Hao is quietly impressed, considering that he never expected the irritating boy to be much more than cannon fodder. Still, he proves incredibly useful when it comes to dealing the first and last strike of the match.</p><p>The comedian’s newest technique allows him to up his speed and travel long distances very fast by drastically decreasing the friction between the air and his body. He basically learned to slip through the air particles and come out on the other side in a matter of seconds.</p><p>Which proves a great opportunity for team Ren because they don’t have to lose their time.</p><p>The team has come to the agreement that they’d much rather bother Hao’s followers until they agree to fight with them than fighting useless matches with low-level opponents.</p><p>So the strategy the three boys came up with is straightforward and simple: leave Choco to it and if their opponents manage to defend against his attack, then they are worth fighting.</p><p>The first time it is put to good use is, consequently, in the fight against team Camouflage.</p><p>Kalim only just gave the green light to fight when Choco’s body seems to buzz and distort visibly before he vanishes altogether from everyone’s sight. He appears just behind the tree opponents and promptly renders them unconscious before they could even complete spirit control. And thus, the fight is won, much to the combined frustration and amazement of the shamans in the stands.</p><p>“I like their strategy and I must say, it is pretty effective.” Hao comments from the darkest and shadowy corner of the stadium. He sips at his cup of to-go coffee as he watches team Ren exit the arena. There will be a short break of ten minutes before the next fight will commence.</p><p>“I dunno, it wasn’t any fun to watch.”</p><p>Hao turns an indescribable expression on his little brother, who is presently slouched forward, hands resting on his knees and yawning wide.</p><p>“A fight shouldn’t necessarily be fun to watch. It can be enjoyable, but the faster you can take your opponent down before he gets serious the better.” Hao is aware that he may be lecturing Yoh, but it’d be great if the boy would actually pay attention and learn something. Though Hao doubts very much that will happen.</p><p>Yoh hums thoughtfully, resting his head in his palm.</p><p>“So you mean that we should get serious from the get-go.” Yoh concludes languidly.</p><p>The older twin blinks at the fact that Yoh did, actually, listen to what he just said.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>He catches his little brother’s gaze glide over the stands on the opposite side of the arena, tracing the sea of people seated and standing. Hao knows who he’s searching for and wonders as he sips at his lukewarm coffee, whether he will find her or not.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Anna watches team Ren fight with none of the ardor and passion of showing their skills that they possessed before.</p><p>Actually, calling it a fight would be overstating it. The only thing Ren and Horo did was smirk and make faces at their opponents while Chocolove makes short work of them and closes the fight in under thirty seconds.</p><p>It is a very close second, but not enough to dethrone Hao for the shortest fight in history.</p><p>Something about it doesn’t sit right with Anna, but the boys seem to be following a sort-of logic and strategy, which again, is a new thing to add to the list of new things going on with Yoh and his friends.</p><p>On that note though, the girl wonders if her troublesome fiancé is around here today. As much as Anna and the rest of her group traipsed around Dobi village – because they barely have much of anything else to do than that – they never did come across any of them or too many of Hao’s followers.</p><p>Silva did say that Hao’s camp is located somewhere in the northwestern part of Dobi’s forest, but Anna resolutely refuses to investigate because Hao and anyone who follows him is unpredictable. The last thing they need is to fall into a trap or be caught red-handed. Which means that the only possibility of seeing and contacting the guys is through these matches.</p><p>While she thinks about this, Anna’s gaze wanders over the large stadium, taking in the colorful people and ghosts mingling around. There is still a haze of confusion hanging over their heads after team Ren’s fight and its untimely conclusion, but it does not bother Anna as much as it should, because her attention is piqued when her eyes land on something on the other side of the stadium.</p><p>She thinks she catches a glimpse of Yoh, sitting right next to his evil mastermind of a brother – who Anna will certainly be opting to punch on the first occasion.</p><p>Something inside her chest squeezes, and it is a strange enough emotion that she takes a minute to decipher, but it ends up being redundant because Yoh has turned away from her and is talking to Hao.</p><p>A minute later they disappear in a subtle ball of fire that sparks to life and burns out in a moment.</p><p>Anna bites her lip until it bleeds because at this point, she has more questions than answers and no one to address them to.</p><p>Tipping her head back to catch the cloudless blue sky and torrid sun, she asks Yoh, the Great Spirit, the universe and anyone in between who will listen - what should she actually <em>do</em> right now? On whose side should she be and how can she get out of this in-between place with a clear conscience and minimum casualties?</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Team Ren has three more fights that turn out exactly like the first one when it comes to applying their newest strategy.</p><p>Team Dead End, on the other hand, has two other matches, all with varying degrees of difficulty, but certainly more interesting than anything the second round has dished out to team Ren until now.</p><p>Which is a subject of much discussion between Yoh’s friends these days. </p><p>“I’m telling you guys, the council has it out for us!” Horo scowls at the stick in his hand, though he continues to dutifully roll it slowly over the fire.</p><p>“Or maybe we are too good, did you think about that?” Ren’s tone drips with aplomb.</p><p>“So good we’re <em>melting</em>!” Choco jumps in between them, popping one dripping marshmallow into his mouth with incredible gusto.</p><p>Of course, his joke is received with the usual violent reactions and the comedian ends up with a bruised cheek.</p><p>Yoh’s grin never wavers as he patiently waits for his own sugary threat to melt.</p><p>“Or maybe, my young friends,” Ryu’s signature hairstyle – now longer and much more refined but still perfectly structured – bounces as he speaks from Yoh’s side, “it is just that you are stuck in a lower league because of your initial performance in the Tournament and now you can’t get out!”</p><p>Obviously, the older shaman’s aim is to get a rise out of team Ren because the next thing that happens is, essentially, an all-out argument over that.</p><p>Yoh’s eyes meander from one side of the large campfire to the other, noting the various people seated around the logs. Their group has retreated to one corner while his brother and many of his followers are occupying the rest of the seats in the circle.</p><p>Yoh has had the chance to meet a few of them – and <em>properly</em> meet some like Bill Burton and Kanna, Marion and Matilda – and while they didn’t seem like bad people at first glance, Yoh’s opinion hasn’t changed even later.</p><p>Many are pretty nice people, and he would go as far as calling a few of them kind and very compassionate about the world they live in. He’s heard a lot of stories – mostly because his brother wants to convert Yoh to his ideals as much as Yoh wants to change Hao’s mind. The majority are normal people, from unfortunate backgrounds who have experienced the worst this world has to offer firsthand. They are desperate individuals, looking for a higher purpose and who are holding onto one small hope that maybe, they will be able to change the grim trajectory the world is hurtling along.</p><p>Yoh cultivates no illusions that this world isn’t one step away from a massive disaster. Things have been getting worse and worse, but he also knows that it is not necessarily only the work of humans that is the cause. There are enough factors contributing to this, enough to give Yoh a mean headache.</p><p>Still, he’s been trying to talk to those who would listen, and he is under no impression that Hao isn’t aware of the fact. Yet, the mere knowledge that he lets Yoh do as he pleases brings a slew of renewed energy to the boy every time.</p><p>Indubitably, there are also shamans whose only aim is to gain power and Hao is a shortcut to that dream coming true, but those people Yoh steers clear of because he has enough on his plate without having to deal with them. His friends have also been adopting Yoh’s approach and the results are encouraging, even though it feels like they are only just at the beginning.</p><p>Time and insistence will surely have a say in this, but Yoh thinks that honesty will also go a long way – longer than the others. He needs to show his brother that humans aren’t that bad, and if he can manage that, then he will accomplish what he’s set out to do.</p><p>Yoh has this amazing feeling that if he will be able to guide Hao’s hand onto a better path, the world will be better off and everything will be alright.</p><p>Why is that?</p><p>Because if Yoh does manage to convince his brother and make him <em>see</em> – just <em>see </em>– then Yoh will also be the one who will make sure that his brother will become the Shaman King. Though he has no doubt that Hao can manage that feat on his own, which is why the second step of the plan will be a walk in the park compared to the first one.</p><p>“You seem uncharacteristically thoughtful.” His brother’s voice washes over him and Yoh raises his head to see Hao with an amused smile over his lips.</p><p>Both Ryu and Faust, seated on Yoh’s sides, pause and look at Hao in surprise.</p><p>Yoh though, grins up at him. “Nothing gets past you.”</p><p>Horo snickers and Hao’s eyebrow twitches in a sure sign that Yoh’s humor wasn’t so well received.</p><p>“I was just thinking that it’s a pretty nice evening. I think I’m gonna take a walk.” Yoh stands up and pats the back of his pants. “Come with?”</p><p>His brother steps back and lets him lead them deeper into the forest.</p><p>They are silent for a long while, and Yoh lets his feet lead the way to nowhere, until suddenly Hao is talking aloud.</p><p>“You have a human friend, yes?”</p><p>A little unsure about the abrupt subject enforced onto him, Yoh nods slowly. But then the excitement of talking about his good friend, coupled with the fact that he is missing him greatly, opens Yoh’s mouth and his thoughts tumble from his lips in a torrent.</p><p>“Yeah! His name’s Manta and he’s pretty short, but he’s amazing with computers. Which kind of still confuse me and totally give Ren a headache! He can find <em>anything</em> on the internet and he can’t run very fast, but he’s pretty smart and has a good heart.” Yoh’s eyes search through the darkness and fix on the roof of the cave, illuminated lightly by the proximity of the camp. “I know that I can always count on him.”</p><p>His brother is silent for a long stretch of time, so long that Yoh is unsure if he said something wrong, or now that the question has been answered, he let the subject go.</p><p>“Is he really so selfless that you can always count on him?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“And how are you so certain of that?”</p><p>Yoh frowns, discombobulated by the strange inquiry and the need to defend Manta. “Because he’s my friend and I trust him. We went through a lot of stuff together.”</p><p>Hao’s voice is dry, but there is an underlayer of weariness under it.</p><p>“And does he trust you, Yoh?”</p><p>“He does.”</p><p>Hao’s mouth is already open, most likely to ask Yoh how he is so sure of that, but the younger boy throws him a pre-emptive glare, just in case.</p><p>“I just know he does, Hao.”</p><p>His brother’s expression never wavers from its studious interest, though he does huff, as if the subject is a moot point anyway.</p><p>“One friend does not make a rule for all of humanity.”</p><p>And then it kind of dawns on Yoh that maybe his brother is asking him about humans, in his own roundabout way, starting with the one closest to Yoh. In a minute, Yoh’s frown melts into a wide smile and he meanders a little closer to his brother as he starts to relate a tale that feels as old as time now.</p><p>About Manta and how the two of them met in the cemetery. How he almost scared the poor boy to death and how Yoh was surprised to find out that Manta could see ghosts.</p><p>He talks about Ryu – then a <em>human</em>, which is a fact that takes Hao completely by surprise – and how he and his gang named the Dead Enders gave Yoh and Manta quite a headache back in the day.</p><p>Yoh speaks of Ren and his mighty antics and how Ryu started helping them little by little. Yoh slips in things about his classmates back in school – as little as he knows about them since he only hung out with Manta most of the time – but there were still some cool people in their class.</p><p>He relates all kinds of tales about the short grannies selling fruits at the market and how Yoh and Manta had to make numerous runs to the market because Anna is an incredibly picky eater, or she just wanted to train them with late-night excursions.</p><p>Hao keeps a straight face, but he is certainly more and more captivated when Yoh gets around to tell him about the time Ryu just up and decided he wanted to become a shaman. The older boy snorts when he hears that Anna agreed to it, only to put Ryu on housekeeping duty, and Hao is definitely not surprised by that particular development.</p><p>But the story progresses and Tokagero comes into the picture and by the end of it, Ryu’s spiritual abilities are unlocked, and he is a fully-fledged shaman. Yoh doesn’t forget to mention Manta’s role at every step of the way.</p><p>From how supportive he was of Yoh when he was training, to dragging him to see one of Lee Pai Long’s movies and then getting attacked by the dead man himself. And how Manta left and returned half beaten and with Ryu’s wooden sword clutched in his hands because Yoh needed a better weapon than he had.</p><p>Everything culminates with the fight against Faust and its aftermath when Yoh proclaimed their friendship over. But Manta somehow teamed up with Ryu and made the journey all the way to Izumo and waited for Yoh to get out of the tunnel of Tartarus, when he demanded that he will never give up on their friendship.</p><p>“We made up and everything was fine.” Yoh finishes, sitting down at the base of a thick tree with swaying leaves. “At that time, I realized that Manta was there to stay and I honestly couldn’t be happier about that. He’s one of the guys and always will be. He even came with us when we stormed Ren’s family stronghold to save his sorry butt!”</p><p>Yoh laughs at the memory and when his brother appears appropriately interested, he relates it to him. Hao doesn’t seem surprised by the Tao’s practices, but he is intrigued by Ren's final answer after such a long period where hatred and vengeance were the founding rocks of his ideals.</p><p>“But what did Manta even do in the face of all those challenges?” Hao asks deliberately, confused. “He has no power.”</p><p>Yoh grins. “Well sometimes you don’t need to have special powers to be able to help. I told you, he’s pretty smart and his heart is in the right place. He encourages us and brings with him great plans and ideas. He’s our support man!” He chuckles, evidently pleased with the description.</p><p>Hao leans back against the bark of the tree, lost in thought and Yoh leaves him to it because he’s given him quite a lot to think about.</p><p>He knows that the change cannot happen overnight, but just the fact that Hao <em>asked</em> means that maybe he’s also willing to listen. And if he really listened to what Yoh said tonight, it might be possible that Yoh’s plan will work after all.</p><p>They stay there until late morning, more comfortable sleeping out in the forest than in a stuffy tent.</p><p>His brother doesn’t bring up the subject again, but Yoh decides not to push where there's danger of an explosion.</p><p>The guys are already around the fireplace when they spring out of the woods for a sort of brunch and Yoh readily accepts the plate Horo offers with a thankful smile.</p><p>Another argument is launched and Yoh enjoys the loudness from the sidelines until their meal is rudely interrupted by the shrill sound of the oracle bell.</p><p>Yoh looks down at it along with Hao.</p><p>“Team Tres Magnifique. What a strange name.” Hao’s breezy attitude doesn’t last long. His mouth slits into a sharp smile as he comments. “Well, whatever or whoever they are, it will be <em>au revoir</em> to them.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Anna has been feeling sleepy all morning and it’s just past eleven when they finally decide that brunch is a better option than dying of heatstroke.</p><p>Tamao is out in the village on business again – which Anna knows now that it has to do with those corny TV advertisements – but Pirika takes her place at the table. The young girl has been conspicuously absent, but they only find out why now.</p><p>“I tried and tried,” Pirika rests her head on the tabletop, a waterfall of tears slipping from her eyes, “but I couldn’t find the entrance of their camp!”</p><p>“That’s what you’ve been doing all this time?” Manta asks, eyebrows appropriately raised at the fact.</p><p>Anna cannot help but release a small sigh in exasperation.</p><p>“If you would have asked, we could have told you that Silva and Kalim already tried that and it didn’t work.” Her tone is dry, just like the desert outside.</p><p>“Yeah, even if they said that the camp is somewhere in the northwest, they came up empty when they tried to scout it out.” Manta jabs a thumb in said man’s direction and he freezes momentarily on his way to their table, arms laden with their orders. “They said it must be some spirit chameleon.”</p><p>Anna receives her food in silence, and Silva is already in the middle of discussing possible strategies with Manta and Pirika.</p><p>“You seem strangely subdued today.” Jun observes, sipping her black coffee.</p><p>Anna watches her through narrowed eyes, not minding the intrusion but also not having enough energy for a sharp, witty answer.</p><p>She settles somewhere in between.</p><p>“I guess I am.”</p><p>“I’m sure that it is Hao’s doing.” Silva says, definitely breaking some customer service rules by standing around and chatting with them. “I know every inch of Dobi village because I grew up here. And yet I cannot find any trace of their location. Our informant told us everything they could, but they must be using a secret password."</p><p>“Secret password?” Manta asks with surprise. “Why couldn’t your informant tell you the secret password then?”</p><p>Silva shakes his head, morose. “The secret password is known only by the spellcaster. Once the camouflage is in place, those who need to find the place are told a word, mostly in a subtle manner so they won’t figure out what it is and share the password with strangers. It is a very effective security system.”</p><p>“That’s amazing!” Manta snaps his mouth shut, mind still reeling. “Did anyone else from the council try?” He asks curiously.</p><p>Silva purses his lips, hearing none of the other calls from the counter. “Only Kalim, but with the same results.”</p><p>Pirika releases a pitiful sound and reaches out to rub her aching temples. Things are getting worse and more stressful the further along in the second round they get. It is also incredibly irritating that they have no objectives and no aims set out for them. They boys didn’t tell them anything – <em>Yoh </em>didn’t tell them anything – and it grates on Anna more and more as time passes.</p><p>The bell to the entrance chimes again, and a torrent of voices erupts in the small restaurant.</p><p>Anna winces and turns her head with a mighty glare in her eyes.</p><p>She finds the Lee five walking in a tight group towards a nearby table, talking and arguing at the speed of a thousand miles per hour. They don’t acknowledge Anna and the others, but their discussion can be clearly heard throughout the establishment and Anna rolls her eyes.</p><p>Those five girls are complaining that they haven’t had any matches since the beginning of the second round. Anna wants to open her mouth and tell them that they should be grateful and shut up, but something holds her back. She has more important things to worry about than the Lees and the lack of action in their lives so far.</p><p>Anna has enough goddamn action at the moment to keep her mind occupied well into the night.</p><p>Manta spares them an amused glance as the waves of depression coming from the suddenly silent table drift to wash over them.</p><p>Anna all but breaks her chopsticks in half.</p><p>Jun smiles thinly, her eyes dancing with interest at the display. Lee Pai Long shifts behind her chair, his eyes wide and holding an incongruous expression over his face as if he’s trying to make sense of those strange girls.</p><p>But it is useless to try and make sense of the <em>Lees</em> of all people. These women are strange, loud and overly dumb. Not to mention that their self-confidence exceeds even Anna’s on some occasions, which speaks volumes to the kind of team they would make.</p><p>“I think,” Jun begins, lips curling with amusement, “that they will get pretty far into the second round.”</p><p>“Really now?” Anna finds herself derisively offering the question.</p><p>Jun giggles.</p><p>“Come on, Anna.” Manta tries to bring a couple of points in the Lees’ favor because that’s what he does best. “The girls seem pretty powerful.”</p><p>The look Anna throws the two speaks for itself. Jun shakes her head and grins.</p><p>“I doubt that they will even get close to risking a match with <em>the boys</em>, but they will get far enough that they won’t feel bad when they lose.”</p><p>There it is again – the term they’ve been dancing around all this time. But it slowly morphed this month into something else completely.</p><p>Before the official start of the second round, when they were still out in the desert and they were trying to find Yoh and the others, then clues and then Dobi village, it was always <em>their boys</em> and <em>the guys</em>.</p><p>But then Hao happened, and Yoh got stupid ideas into his head and then everything went to hell.</p><p>They avoided talking about them long enough that they forgot about it. And then, when they did again, it was never again <em>their boys.</em> It was <em>the</em> boys – those boys who let them down, who threw everything away and went to join up with the worst of the worst and the most dangerous. It was an unforgivable act to those who have strived to support them in the only other ways they could and crossed so much distance for them, only to be left in the dust. </p><p>Despite what she’s told Yoh, Anna hasn’t yet forgiven him. Doesn’t know how she can go about doing that. But she will have to try, especially when Anna knows that she wants to. Forgiveness never comes easy to her, not when she’s suffered enough times to automatically let go of anyone who dares break her trust.</p><p>But this is Yoh she’s talking about, and her usual demeanor is also unacceptable this time around.</p><p>“Are they really that powerful?” Pirika asks, eyebrows raised in surprise. It brings Anna out of her difficult thoughts.</p><p>“No, they are not.” Anna cuts the thread before it tangles and becomes too bothersome to control. “They are a bunch of cowards. I would be surprised if they even win <em>one</em> fight.”</p><p>“You really are crabby today.” Manta mutters into his fries and Anna’s head snaps to the side so fast the short boy jumps in his seat.</p><p>“What was that, short stuff?”</p><p>But Manta is saved from an untimely death by the shrill sound of the oracle bell announcing the arrival of a new match.</p><p>Heads turn and eyes rise to set on the bearers of the devices. But if they cannot trail the source of the sound, they can surely make it out by the suddenly loud exclamations.</p><p>The Lees are celebrating their first match when Manta’s voice cuts through their joyful yells and self-encouraging remarks.</p><p>“Congrats, guys! So who are you fighting against?”</p><p>Anna occupies her time with sipping her green tea and not really caring who the Lees are set to fight against. Surely, some weak team who will either get to decimate them or have the Lees decimate them in turn.</p><p>But all those thoughts fly out of the window when Sharona’s answer comes forth.</p><p>“Team Star, it says here.” She trails off, cocking one eyebrow and grinning slyly. “Whoever they might be, we will wipe the floor with them, <em>ahaha</em>!” </p><p>The Lees heartily agree but the group has stopped cold at the admission and look at them in horror.</p><p>Anna’s veins fill with ice and her mind stutters to a stop because this can’t be happening and what are they supposed to do now, how is Yoh supposed to – <em>poor Yoh</em>.</p><p>“Y-You guys,” Manta begins because if he’s one thing when he’s scared, it’s <em>vocal</em>. He’s trembling though, along with Anna and Jun and Pirika and whoever was in hearing range when they spoke that accursed name, “you didn’t just say that you will be fighting against team Star, did you?”</p><p>Sharona blinks at them, as if confounded as to why there is no celebration for the Lees on their part.</p><p>“Yes, I did. We’re fighting team Star.”</p><p>“You can’t do that!” Lee Pai Long breaks out of his stupor long enough to blurt out.</p><p>“And why not?” Lilly inquires, hands clenched into fists above the table and a scowl on her lips.</p><p>“Because team Star-“ Jun begins with a lot less energy than her guardian, but more than enough fear.</p><p>“Team Star is Hao’s team!” Manta finishes in a voice and volume that grates at Anna’s nerves, but it is for the better because it helps her snap out of it and concentrate.</p><p>The Lees finally understand what the problem was and appropriately respond to it. But the matter is over, the oracle bell’s message is impossible to change and they are back to their depressive state. The group shuffles to their table and hovers around it uncertainly.</p><p>Sharona and Sally try their best to raise their friends’ spirits, but there is a hundred feet giant with Hao’s face on it that hangs over their heads.</p><p>“But you can think about it this way,” Pirika begins shyly, fingers tugging at the material of her sleeves, “Yoh will also be on the team.”</p><p>Manta perches up at this and agrees with renewed energy.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s right! So you don’t have to worry about getting killed by Hao.”</p><p>If the Lees are surprised to hear that Yoh is on Hao’s team, they don’t show it much. Milly shrinks in her seat, no doubt thinking about Lyserg too. Sharona scoffs and crosses her arms and Sally’s glare deepens.</p><p>“And how do you know that Yoh will stop Hao from doing that?”</p><p>Manta frowns as they question his friend’s integrity.</p><p>“Well because he will definitely do that. He did that in their last match.”</p><p>Sharona scoffs. “Please, as if Hao will let Yoh get away with it a second time. I’m pretty sure Hao won’t bat an eye against Yoh’s pleads, and I also doubt that your little friend is going to risk an argument with <em>Hao</em> in the middle of the match.”</p><p>Manta is momentarily rendered speechless, both by her caustic words and by the fact that Sharona delivered a pretty well articulated speech.</p><p>“Sharona,” Ellie begins with alarm and frustration, “that’s, like, not helping at all, you know?”</p><p>“Well I didn’t say it to be helpful, <em>mon ami</em>. I said it because this is what might happen tomorrow, and we need to be prepared for the possibility.”</p><p>“Yoh won’t let you get hurt!” Manta tries again and Pirika nods resolutely from behind him.</p><p>“Sure he won’t.” Sally grinds out and Anna stifles her scowl by peeking out of the window. “Will Asakura also give up and hand the match to us?” Her snort punctuates the heavy atmosphere. “No chance in hell.”</p><p>Anna sees Silva’s grim face over the counter, and she crosses her arms, suddenly cold. </p><p>“He won’t hurt you.” Manta’s words are a whisper now, repeated again and again as if this chant is all he needs to make everyone around him believe in Yoh too.</p><p>But believing in Yoh is a little more complicated now than it was a month ago.</p><p>Sharona knows, at least, when to let the subject drop. She stands up from the table and announces to the girls that they should leave to prepare.</p><p>Anna watches the Lees make their exit and wonders if this will be the last time they ever talk to the girls. It’s not that she doubts that Yoh will try to keep the Lees from getting killed, but she fears that his trick against Hao can only be executed once. If that is so, what is going to happen to three of the five Lees remains to be decided by fate.</p><p>“Poor girls.” Lee Pai Long sighs from somewhere to the side.</p><p>“While I do trust Yoh, my distrust of Hao is bigger.” Jun touches a hand to her cheek, positively unsettled. “I dread what might happen tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yeah…” Pirika’s hands are back to fiddling with the ends of her sleeves.</p><p>But Manta takes this as any other slander against his best friend. His eyes open and determination shines in them. He doesn’t say anything, but he takes off running and never looks back.</p><p>Anna is unsure of his plan, but she isn’t about to let him meander in a village full of shamans in that state.</p><p>“Let’s go.”</p><p>She doesn’t even need to say that. Everyone is already moving to follow Manta.</p><p>They pick up a confused Tamao along the way and follow Manta’s trail easily enough.</p><p>The boy isn’t a master at hiding his steps, and it shows when Anna doesn’t even need to ask strangers on the street. But it is also quite easy to guess his direction.</p><p>Manta let his instinct guide him and he ended up in the thick forest around the village on the north western edge. This place is filled with old trees and leaves so green they are almost black. The sun and the sky don’t touch this area, but there is enough light for Manta to see where he’s going.</p><p>He gets to the lip of a lake, small that he can see the other side, but still big enough to be a lake and not a pond. His breathing is irregular, his short legs are trembling and he’s pretty sure that Anna and the others are just a few steps behind him. He can hear the rustling as they make their way through the dense foliage.</p><p>But just before they get to his side, Manta lets out all the frustration he has gathered into a tight ball and locked in an imaginary box inside his chest. His yells echo wildly around the clearing, but he does not care, he keeps at it, forming the name of his best friend over and over again. Hoping that maybe – just <em>maybe </em>– Yoh will come and give him the answers he needs.</p><p>The friend who left him behind when he decided that they weren’t enough, and Hao had more things - better things - to offer. Manta usually tries to bury these traitorous and unreasonable thoughts to the back of his mind, but right now he is not in the right state to argue with himself about Yoh’s innocence.</p><p>Manta is sure that his friends must have a plan – Yoh <em>must have a plan</em>. But he doesn’t care about that plan now. He cares about the poor girls that Yoh’s twin brother will burn to a crisp tomorrow and he cares that Yoh might not be able to stop him.</p><p>He shouts like that for five minutes. Long enough that Anna breaks away from the tight formation of the group and starts in Manta’s direction.</p><p>But then someone comes out of the other side of the forest and Manta’s heart stops along with Anna’s steps. The shock is quickly replaced by something unidentifiable on her face, but Manta is more concentrated on the three people on the other side of the lake.</p><p>It’s Yoh, Horo and Ryu – and Manta’s heart dances with joy. They are walking towards the lake at a relaxed pace and Manta wonders if they are planning to shout across the distance.</p><p>But just as he’s about to really take that into consideration, Horo crouches down with the icupasuy in his hand and freezes the surface of the lake.</p><p>Manta’s jaw falls open when Yoh doesn’t even seem to break stride. He just continues walking as if he’s not traversing a frozen lake in the summer.</p><p>They watch them approach and it takes an eternity, but Manta’s face lights up when they stop a solid ten meters away from them.</p><p>“Yoh!” Manta greets with enthusiasm. “Guys!”</p><p>Yoh’s face breaks out of its blank expression into a large grin that is sufficiently tense around the edges to be unreal.</p><p>“Yo!”</p><p>“Horo!” Pirika all but launches herself in her brother’s direction, but Lee Pai Long holds her back with a calculating expression in his eyes.</p><p>Horo waves shortly, a small smile on his face. “Hey, sis.”</p><p>“You all seem to be gathered here.” Ryu observes amicably as he looks over the various familiar faces.</p><p>Anna eyes the wooden sword held loosely in his hand warily. Her eyes travel to Yoh, yet she does not dare meet his gaze.</p><p>This is Manta’s time, not hers. She had hers.</p><p>“So what’s up, Manta? Why were you screaming my name in this random part of the forest?” Yoh’s tone is curious. He watches his friend’s face pace through several consecutive emotions before settling into worry and resolve.</p><p>“Yoh, you are fighting against a team named Tres Magnifique tomorrow, aren’t you?”</p><p>Yoh blinks at the question and his tone is a little bit surprised that Manta knows when he answers. “Yeah, I have a match against them tomorrow. Why?”</p><p>“You got to make sure that Hao won’t kill them, Yoh!” Manta bursts out and his plea is desperate. “That’s Sharona and the Lees’ team!”</p><p>There is a thick pause that lasts ten whole heartbeats and Manta counts them religiously.</p><p>Then Ryu bursts into a flurry of sad exclamations while Horo mumbles a flurry of expletives. His gaze falls to the ground while Ryu sighs in defeat.</p><p>“Poor Lees.” He shakes his head and Manta wants to scream at him because they have to <em>do</em> something about it.</p><p>“They are in for a world of pain, huh?” Horo’s mouth warbles and he looks at Yoh, as if asking what he’s planning on doing with this revelation.</p><p>On his part, Manta watches Yoh and his friend’s expression never once changes at the news. He crosses his arms and sighs.</p><p>“Man, that’s unfortunate.” Manta’s stomach drops at his words. But then he opens his eyes and they are the same ones that Manta remembers, full of certitude and warmth. “I promise you that I’m going to do my best to keep Hao from harming them.”</p><p>Then everything feels like before. Manta smiles widely and Yoh continues to grin and everything is perfectly normal and good.</p><p>But then Horo clears his throat and Ryu throws a glance behind him.</p><p>“We should go, Yoh.” The ice-wielding shaman suggests with a certain amount of wariness.</p><p>Yoh’s mouth tightens and he nods and turns on his heels so abruptly that Manta doesn’t have time to say more.</p><p>“Thanks for the tip.” Yoh waves as the trio walks away, back over the frozen lake. “See you later!”</p><p>It all happens so fast, Manta barely finished gathering his jaw from the ground and they have already disappeared into the thick underbrush.</p><p>He hears Anna expel a sigh behind him, closer than he anticipated.</p><p>Everyone seems to lose whatever tension kept their bodies rigid and most slump over, tired. Pirika most of all, with a defeated whimper as she hangs her head in dismay.</p><p>Anna wants to comfort her, but she’s not that type of person. So she leaves the comforting to Manta and Tamao, though the itako doubts the little man is going to be doing much comforting when he’s got his own demons to stave off.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. RIP to you, but I'm different</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>The next morning finds the stadium as full as the last time team Star had a match.</p><p>The sun shines just as on any other day and the tension reaches its highest peak when Anna walks into the stands with the others.</p><p>They tried one last time to fruitlessly convince the Lees to give up on their fight against team Star before it ever began, but they steadfastly refused. So Anna, Manta and the others are left to watch and hope for the best.</p><p>The Lees are already here – Sharona, Sally and Ellie – all stand in a single file with rigid spines and trembling knees, though they hide it well. The expressions on their faces is so full of resolve that Anna would have given them a chance, had their opponents been literally anyone else.</p><p>Milly and Lilly sit in the row just behind the stone railing where Anna and the group stopped. They turn around to exchange greetings, though their worry and their grief is evident to anyone who dares to look.</p><p>Anna does not miss the inquiring glances and the eyes full of demands, as if they are a step away from asking Anna and Manta and whoever else listens to ‘<em>do something now’</em>.</p><p>But the time when Anna could do something and make a difference is long gone. Now it all rests on Yoh’s shoulders, and she prays that he won’t let down so many people who depend on him.</p><p>As per custom, team Star makes its appearance one minute before the match is scheduled to begin.</p><p>“Such pretty opponents we have today.” Hao says as they emerge from a curtain of fire.</p><p>The Lees straight up freeze. Sharona bites her lip at the boy’s smile, so full of contempt and disinterest that a thousand memories she wants to forget flash inside her mind. Her lips curl back into a sneer and her ire grows with every passing moment she looks at the boy who is the spitting image of Yoh Asakura.</p><p>Her brain slinks through the right connections then and her mouth opens slightly at the revelation, though it seems that she’s the only one in her team who realized the truth about these two boys before them.</p><p>“Yoh!” Ellie all but snaps at the boy standing next to Hao and a little girl with an orange cloak.</p><p>Yoh rubs the back of his neck and offers them a nervous grin.</p><p>“Hey, guys.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Look, Anna!” Manta points from where he is perched on top of his trusty box. “Those are the clothes you made for Yoh.”</p><p>Anna studies Yoh with an indescribable expression on her face and Jun’s mouth thins into a tight line as her gaze wanders from one teen to the other. Her heart aches for Anna in that moment.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“The fashion police called, Yoh.” Sharona tips her golden pipe as she jeers. “They want back the kindergarten clothes you stole.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Manta sweats as he resolutely repeats, “She did not just say that. She did not just say that,” all the while feeling Anna’s laser-like stare burning everything in its way to fix on the Lees.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Hao spares his little brother a reproachful glance as Yoh laughs good-naturedly.</p><p>“I told you not to wear those god-awful clothes.” Just as he says this, Hao turns his head when a dangerous glare manages to raise the hairs on the back of his neck. “Ah, your fiancé is here, dear brother.”</p><p>But Yoh slides into a semblance of seriousness and grips the hilt of his sword pointedly.</p><p>The Lees tense up and raise their mediums, ready to offer their best fight.</p><p>The Patch official finally calls the match open and Hao summons his spirit guardian.</p><p>It has the desired effect and it intimidates the Lees enough to cause them to stay back. They make the mistake of breaking formation and scatter around the arena. Hao keeps his eyes on the red haired one that sports a grin on her face, despite her dreary situation, while Yoh keeps the loudmouth blond occupied.</p><p>“Why don’t you play with the last one until I’m done, Opacho?”</p><p>The little girl agrees at once and skips away happily. Opacho might not be much of a fighter but she can hold her own until Hao disposes of his opponent.</p><p>Throughout the fight, Yoh keeps an eye on his brother, but three minutes in and it is obvious that Hao is playing around and quickly getting bored of it. Unfortunately for the Lees, they do not possess such amazing spirit guardians to keep his brother’s attention for long.</p><p>“Eyes here, Asakura!” A scythe descends from the heavens and almost takes off his head. “Or your head is mine.”</p><p>Sharona grits her teeth and orders Emla to attack again, change shape, attack again.</p><p>Yoh weaves in and out of the range of fire, but it is ridiculously easy to slip through her offense when she is so full of openings. His sword slips under Sharona’s chin, but she stumbles back and escapes the length of the blade.</p><p>She raises her pipe, more out of reflex than in a real attempt to defend herself and Yoh slices it with a celestial slash and cuts her medium in half.</p><p>He is seconds too late.</p><p>Ellie’s scream cuts through the air like a sharp knife.</p><p>Yoh’s muscles coil and tense up the moment he hears it. His eyes widen as he looks back from where he left Sharona to mourn her broken medium.</p><p>Ellie is on her knees, but not injured. She looks further away towards Sally and Yoh follows her lead. When he finds her, the crazy red head is bloodied and stumbling to her feet. Somehow, she still clings to her spirit control.</p><p>Hao smiles and raises his hand, fingers poised to snap. Yoh opens his mouth in a wordless scream. The fire spirit swats Sally away like a fly.</p><p>She rolls to a stop and Ellie jogs to her side, cheeks full of tears.</p><p>But she’s alive, they are alive and that’s what still counts.</p><p>Opacho might not be much of a fighter, but she manages to slip through and take Ellie by surprise. The older girl’s spirit control wavers and disappears from the hit and Yoh exhales, somewhat relieved, but it doesn’t last long.</p><p>Fire erupts around them, coating his brother’s figure and the ground in writhing flames that consume everything in their wake.</p><p>Yoh feels a stone drop in his chest, pressing down so hard that he can’t breathe. He feels like this fight is passing by him faster than he can handle it. Attacks he doesn’t see coming unfold before his eyes and his unrelenting brother continues to torture their opponents, even when there is nothing else to take out of it but a twisted sense of pleasure.</p><p>The storm of flames disappears and leaves behind Ellie and Sally, still in the same position, though with soot covering their faces and clothes. Yoh might have chalked it up to his brother playing around without the intention to hurt, but then Sharona comes out of the fire, jaw clenched and her broken pipe held in both hands. It pulses with pink furyoku along with the wall of cement in front of them, but it soon disappears as the last of her power disperses.</p><p>Hao chuckles darkly and commands the spirit of fire to attack again.</p><p>But this time Yoh is ready to spring into action, not about to let things continue on this path to disaster. The Lees had one lucky shot and it passed. Yoh needs to do something, or else the girls will really die this time.</p><p>He isn’t sure what he is going to do, but a bubble of anger bursts inside his chest and it’s enough to set his mind off what he <em>can</em> do and jump right into what he <em>will</em> do.</p><p>And Yoh does what he does best – he protects the Lees from the incoming avalanche of fire and death because he didn't learn elemental control for nothing.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“He’s crazy!” Manta exclaims, slamming his closed fists down on the warm rock.</p><p>“He is!” Pirika grabs at her hair, panicked. “There is no way he can stop that.”</p><p>Anna watches with a growing sense of terror and fear as Yoh runs straight into the line of fire to protect the Lees. And, for a hot second, she blames Manta for begging Yoh to protect them when he knows full well that Yoh will keep his promise. She blames Yoh for being so stupid and, most of all, she blames Hao for being a thorn in her back for so long and she hates him for what he’s doing to Yoh and to the world around him.</p><p>Anna knows one thing for sure and it is that if something happens to Yoh, she will do everything in her power to kill Hao.</p><p>But Hao is relentless in his attacks and doesn’t even stop to acknowledge that Yoh is right in between him and his targets. Anna wants to scream out his name, but that will accomplish nothing.</p><p>Her heart sinks when Yoh is engulfed by the torrent.</p><p>Sharona falls on her butt, eyes wide with fear as the fire lurches over and almost washes over her too.</p><p>But something stops it from advancing, and no matter how big of an amount of flames Hao pours into the attack, it doesn’t budge.</p><p>Everything comes to a standstill that lasts maybe a few seconds before the flames curl into themselves, as if they are being absorbed.</p><p>Gradually, they disappear, leaving behind Yoh, who is perfectly unharmed. His arm is outstretched, and fire seems to be vacuumed into it and transformed into nothingness.</p><p>The fierce glare on Yoh’s face never wavers as the last of the fire disappears, leaving behind a deathly silent stadium.</p><p>The twins have a silent stare down that ends when Hao huffs out a breath and says with an incredible amount of satisfaction.</p><p>“Not bad, Yoh.” The spirit of fire straightens and the little girl with wild hair skips up onto the giant’s legs and arms. “You finally seem to get it.”</p><p>“Did he just-?“ Even Manta cannot express an opinion over what he just saw.</p><p>Anna herself is overwhelmed by the fact that Yoh – <em>Yoh </em>– just managed elemental control to such an advanced degree, and that he completely nullified Hao’s attack to nothingness in a few moments.</p><p>Yoh remains silent, not even sparing the Lees another glance as the Patch official announces the winners and closes the match.</p><p>Hao’s fire curls around Yoh’s form and they disappear before Anna’s glassy eyes.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“You seem mad.”</p><p>“I am mad.” Yoh shrugs on his t-shirt and resolutely does not turn to the entrance of the tent where Hao leans against the doorway.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>The question has him seething and he breaks his word and turns with a scowl.</p><p>“Because they were out of furyoku and you kept on attacking when the match was over!”</p><p>“I do not remember promising you that I won’t kill anyone anymore.” His brother says mildly, not in the least affected by Yoh’s attitude. “What I <em>do </em>remember is you promising to stop me. And you’ve done a good job today.”</p><p>“I’m sick of running around like a headless chicken to clean up your messes, Hao!" Even as he says it, Yoh recognizes that it is exactly what he signed up for. But it doesn’t mean that he must like it.</p><p>Hao’s expression is inscrutable and shadowed because of the light spilling from the entrance.</p><p>“This is what you wanted, Yoh.” His brother reminds, tone level. “Don’t blame me when things don’t go like you dreamed them up to go.”</p><p>Yoh’s curls his hands into fists at his side.</p><p>“You don’t put in any effort to actually <em>try</em>. I’m no miracle worker either!” Despite the anger swimming in his veins, Yoh’s eyes droop and his shoulders sink. “If you don’t want to listen – <em>really listen</em> – then my hands are tied. I can’t move <em>mountains</em> with my bare hands.”</p><p>Hao takes three steps forward and stops only when he is inches away from Yoh. His face is composed but Yoh spots something in his eyes, something that isn’t in line with the rest of his persona right now.</p><p>“Then I suggest you hurry up and learn how to, little brother. Because your time is running out.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Yoh finds his friends lounging around their super secret hideout, dubbed so by the infamous Chocolove, though it is actually the clearing they adopted so long ago as an elemental training ground.</p><p>This place provides the minimum of privacy for the exchange of critical information on domestic and foreign affairs, as well as a clear neutral ground in case a mole is found in their midst.</p><p>Which means, in terms that Yoh understands more clearly, that they can talk about Hao and his followers here, they can talk about Anna and the rest of their friends here and they can also beat up any spy or eavesdropper rather discreetly, in case the need arises.</p><p>Yoh springs into the clearing the very morning after the dreadful match that has put a lot of things into question for him, clearly not in a sunny mood. His uncertainness has been running rampant all through the night and doubts mercilessly clouded his mind like never before.</p><p>Yoh knows with certainty what he is here to accomplish. Granted, he didn’t have a clear plan on how to accomplish that, but he thinks he made do on the worst of occasions. Now, though, things are getting incredibly more complicated, and with his brother’s unsettling last words the evening before, Yoh feels a little bit on the left side of things.</p><p>In short, he is out of ideas and panicking.</p><p>He doesn’t know what to do about his brother. He isn’t sure if Hao will ever listen to him, not after Yoh has tried all that he could think of.</p><p>He refuses to go back to Anna and the others with his tail between his legs. Not to mention that Ren is going to absolutely kill him if he dares destroy whatever image he created of himself to the world. And the others won’t be entirely ecstatic either, to return as losers.</p><p>Maybe Yoh needs to think of something else, another approach to tackle his Hao problem. His brother’s mind must be susceptible to change, he refuses to believe that it couldn’t. But maybe he’s been going through the wrong motions all along.</p><p>“You have such a long face, they could build a highway on it, Yoh!” Choco somehow has white and grey paint on his face, artistically depicting a highway road.</p><p>Ren’s sword unfolds viciously close to the comedian’s face.</p><p>“His approach is idiotic, but his observation is pretty astute.” Ren comments as he leaves Choco to nurse his abused nose.</p><p>“Astu-<em>what</em>? Dude, I hope that wasn’t Chinese again.” Horo shoots a side eyed glare to the Tao and he steadily receives one in return.</p><p>Yoh sighs and rests his hands on his hips, which is a clear sign that things are currently <em>not </em>alright. From there on, Ryu panics and Horo yells loudly, but not as loudly as Chocolove.</p><p>“I do hope that your brother is out of the camp.” Faust comments softly as his gaze dances around the clearing.</p><p>But Yoh shakes his head and expels a tired breath.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s away to watch some match and then talk to some guys of his that lost against the X-Laws.” He grimaces at the thought. “Apparently, he’s been making up plans to wipe the X-Laws out.”</p><p>“Lyserg…” Ryu’s whimper is automatic by now.</p><p>“So what’s up, Yoh?” Horo sits on a rock he found on the bank of the river that curls and flows deeper into the forest. “You look like the fire spirit stomped your face in.”</p><p>At the mention of said guardian ghost and, indirectly, its owner, Yoh folds himself to the ground pitifully. Which brings different reactions out of his friends.</p><p>Ren, for one, scoffs.</p><p>“Don’t tell me it’s about the match yesterday.” He does hit the nail on the head though. “I did hear from Faust that you finally managed some semblance of elemental control.”</p><p>The doctor offers a peace sign and a happy smile.</p><p>“He did. It was pretty awesome, actually.”</p><p>“Poor Lees, being paired up with a powerhouse they have no chance of winning against. And on their first match too!” Choco crosses his arms and shakes his head. Yoh sees him calm rather than worried for the girls’ inherent safety.</p><p>“But Faust <em>did </em>say that they put up a pretty good fight.” Horo points out from his perch.</p><p>“Mhmm, they did.”</p><p>“Of course master Yoh would put up a good fight!” Ryu hastens to proclaim and then turns a tiny glare and a rhetorical question onto Horo. “What’s wrong with you, ice cube?”</p><p>Ren slaps his forehead at the inherent idiocy dancing around the stuffy clearing. They can’t even understand each other’s words anymore.</p><p>Yoh blinks in the face of this discussion, which borders less on the horrors of that fight and more on the technical aspects of it, such as who fought well and who didn’t.</p><p>And apparently, Faust was there.</p><p>“I didn’t know you were watching the fight, Faust.” Yoh looks up at the blonde man and finds him shrugging.</p><p>“Hang Zang-Ching invited me along with some other guys. Ryu didn’t want to come.”</p><p>Ryu sports a regretful look on his face.</p><p>“I would’ve, but I had already promised the guys from team Hellfire that I would help them fix their rides. And Ryu doesn’t go back on his word!”</p><p>Whatever Yoh wanted to hear, it was certainly not this.</p><p>“Yeah, we were stuck in a team match against those losers who were badmouthing Marion, so we couldn’t come see your moment of glory either.” Horo snickers and Ren closes his eyes, tired of his antics. “But Faust here told us everything.”</p><p>Choco raises an arm, as if to underline what he says next. “And when Horo says everything, it’s <em>everything</em>.”</p><p>It’s all Yoh can do not to chuckle. This – this is definitely <em>not</em> what he expected.</p><p>In the two months since they’ve joined up with his brother, his friends have switched from talking in hushed voices and with bitter words to loud remarks and amicable arguments with Hao’s followers and the immortal shaman himself.</p><p>They have inside jokes with them and Yoh can’t begrudge them anything because <em>he has them too.</em> Somehow, they integrated into the enemy camp effortlessly.</p><p>But Choco is sometimes funny and laughter comes naturally to Yoh, even when he’s in such a state. So he does let his lips curl into a cracked grin and, of course, his friends immediately notice it.</p><p>Choco is, immediately, gripping at his hair.</p><p>“Come <em>on</em>, it wasn’t even a <em>joke</em>!” </p><p>“<em>Woah</em>, what’s up with you?” Horo squints at him, as if doing so would offer some new answers to this sudden mystery.</p><p>“Master Yoh, did something happen?!” Ryu has to lean over to gain a semblance of the same eye level as Yoh. “Please tell me so that I can kick their asses at once!”</p><p>“You look like a wet cat on the side of the road.”</p><p>“Hungry we cat.” Faust adds to Ren’s comparison, Yoh thinks, just for the hell of it.</p><p>“I am kind of hungry now that you say that.” Yoh grins wider, as if that fact alone might be able to banish the awful things he is about to say. He deflates in the next second and leans back to look at the jagged rocks on the ceiling.</p><p>Silence stretches as his friends wait for him to speak out his mind, but Yoh doesn’t know where to start.</p><p>“What did you think, Faust? About the match.”</p><p>Yoh watches carefully for anything telling, but Faust doesn’t even pause to parse his answer.</p><p>“It was a good match. Short, but that was to be expected.” The doctor offers a sympathetic smile. “You did a really good job stopping that final attack.”</p><p>Which brings him to the crux of the problem, though Yoh doesn’t know how to approach that just yet.</p><p>“And what do you guys think of Hao?”</p><p>His friends either blink or frown, but the main sentiment is unanimous. They are confused.</p><p>“What’s up with that question?” Horo asks in a mildly alarmed voice.</p><p>Faust shrugs. “He’s okay.”</p><p>Choco and Ryu both shoot him incredulous looks.</p><p>But then Choco stops midway, raises his shoulders and says.</p><p>“I guess? He isn’t as horrible as I thought he was.”</p><p>“I mean, he was in the beginning.” Horo adds his input. Choco nods resolutely. “But I don’t know, he just became less horrible? And more of an asshole, but those types of persons grow on you. Just look at Ren!”</p><p>The Tao flips Horo the finger for good measure.</p><p>“He is a very strange boy, but hardly as horrible as some of the guys from the Diesel gang are.” Ryu approaches the subject from another point of view. “It’s kind of obvious that there is something wrong with him, but it could be worse.”</p><p>Yoh’s eyes stop on the last person that has yet to answer him.</p><p>Ren awards him a dry look, as if he considers it beneath him to volunteer any words on this subject. In the end he sighs, because against Yoh’s endless patience, he has no chance.</p><p>“I guess he’s a better person than I expected, considering that he didn’t kill Choco when he first saw him, which is more than I gave him credit for.”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“And I’m not one to <em>point fingers</em>,” and at this Yoh stifles a laugh, “but it’s clear that the Asakura clan did quite a number on him many generations ago or whenever.” Ren rolls his eyes at the complicated family matters Yoh has got to solve. At least Tao matters can be effectively solved through sheer violence and a good argument or two with the relative in cause. “But why is it exactly that you are asking us this inane question?”</p><p>Ren’s sharp eyes never miss anything and Yoh has no chance of rebuking either. This matter will keep grating at him until it’s either solved or it kills him.</p><p>“I don’t know – I just feel like I haven’t been able to make any headway with him at all. I’m starting to wonder if this whole thing is just pointless.”</p><p>Not one to be deterred by Yoh’s depressive episode, Ren is more focused on the fact that the idiot just called their mission here pointless.</p><p>“What do you mean <em>pointless</em>? This whole thing was your idea!”</p><p>Yoh sighs tiredly. “Yes, and now I’m wondering if I just made a huge mistake. The match yesterday was proof enough.”</p><p>They all blink as if one entity.</p><p>“What do you mean by that?” Faust asks with confusion, not necessarily because Yoh might be questioning <em>him</em>, but because he might be implying that Faust might have <em>missed</em> something and that is unacceptable.</p><p>But Yoh has no desire to place the blame on anyone but himself.</p><p>“Hao kept attacking over and over, even when the match was over. He just doesn’t know when to <em>stop.</em>”</p><p>“And you think that other shamans aren’t exactly like that?” Ren asks immediately, which brings Yoh’s thoughts to a screeching halt.</p><p>“Yeah, like those X-Laws. And Zang-Ching when it’s rice and chicken night.” Horo says jokingly.</p><p>“But those don’t compare!” Yoh protests.</p><p>“Spare me the theatrics.” Ren rolls his eyes. “Horo’s examples are moronic, but he did get one thing right.”</p><p>In spite of Horo’s scowl, Ren smirks. “Hao is the same as everyone else, he just has a lot more power to boost that overinflated ego of his.”</p><p>“Which makes him pretty unstable, if you ask me.” Ryu leans on his sword, but his lips lift into a small smile. “But that’s what power will do to you.”</p><p>Chocolove heaves a dramatic sigh and scoots down next to Yoh.</p><p>“I’m going to be <em>totally</em> honest with you, Yoh.” The comedian throws an arm over Yoh’s shoulders for good measure and to make sure that his friend won’t be going anywhere. “I didn’t like Hao one bit and I still don’t like him much, ‘cause he never laughs at any of my jokes, you know?”</p><p>Yoh breathes out a chuckle at Choco’s words, though the comedian’s expression never changes from the serious one he wears.</p><p>“But since the very beginning, I’ve been able to sense his killing intent whenever it was directed at me. And trust me, he <em>did</em> want to really kill me at first.” Choco waves a dismissive hand when Yoh winces. “But as time went on and my comedy act caught traction,”</p><p>Ren scoffs and Horo slaps his forehead in silent exasperation.</p><p>“There was less intention to kill, and more whatever Ren does when he tries hard not to laugh at my jokes.”</p><p>Ren’s spiky hair seems to gain height at the ridiculous words of the other boy and his fists clench. Bason materializes behind his master, sweating ghostly sweat and making placating gestures to calm Ren down.</p><p>But Choco’s intention has been as much to irritate Ren as to bring a real smile to Yoh’s face and he accomplished that because Yoh bursts out laughing and doesn’t stop for a solid minute.</p><p>His friends look on with amusement while Choco sports an outrightly sleazy grin in the face of his success.</p><p>“You shouldn’t be so worried, master Yoh.”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s so unlike you!” Horo exchanges a meaningful look with Ryu and the latter takes over with an encouraging smile and a large thumb up full of trust.</p><p>“Master Yoh will definitely be able to get Hao on the right track. I’m one hundred percent sure of that.”</p><p>“Anyone’s mind can be changed.” Ren agrees with a knowing harrumph and a strange warble in his voice. “Your brother’s may be harder because it’s been one thousand years, but there’s still hope, I think.”</p><p>“Hao might be one tough nut to crack, but Yoh never gives up either.” Horo winks at him, a little exaggerated to get his point across.</p><p>“And if not, you guys can always leave it to master Chocolove to apply the best method in the world – <em>the wind of laughter</em>!”</p><p>“As if!”</p><p>“<em>Uhhh</em>, I think you should let Yoh try first, Choco. Before you go ahead and get killed by his psychotic brother like an idiot.”</p><p>“No way, Horo! Didn’t you just hear me-“</p><p>Something warm and comfortable coats Yoh’s entire person like a cloak, but it’s not heavy or filled with expectations. It is secure and nice, and he can’t believe that he has such great friends that actually agreed to come with him on this insane quest.</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, did you take ‘How to change a one thousand year old person’s entire mindset in under three months’ in school, Ryu?”</p><p>“Unfortunately, I was more talented in the liberal arts, short pants.” Ryu jeers back to Ren.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh looks up at Faust’s whisper. The man pats him softly on the back and crouches down on his other side as their friends’ spirited discussion intensifies.</p><p>“I did take a few psychology classes in university, so I think we can devise a better strategy from here on out. If you want, we’ll talk about it later.”</p><p>Yoh nods despairingly and offers Faust sincere thanks for his help.</p><p>The party breaks away soon after because Horo complains that he is starving, and Choco makes a joke about a skeleton that brings Faust to summon one and ends up with a better joke than the comedian. Which, of course, makes Chocolove whine forever and test Ren’s patience.</p><p>Yoh waves them off with the promise that he will be just behind them.</p><p>“You better not disappoint me, Yoh. I will not tolerate any failure.”</p><p>And it doesn’t surprise Yoh to see Ren so personally invested in this. He thinks he gets it, especially when he was there in the Tao stronghold to see it for himself.</p><p>It ends up with Yoh still sitting on the ground, thoughtful, when Ryu comes back through the underbrush and crouches down next to him with a careful smile.</p><p>“Ryu,” the boy blinks because he didn’t expect the man to return to quickly, “did you forget something?”</p><p>“Not really, but you seemed pretty down, master Yoh. And I did forget to tell you one thing.”</p><p>Ryu places his wooden sword on the ground with careful movements that denote how much he cares about the weapon. Then he looks up at Yoh with an intense gaze that takes him aback for a moment.</p><p>“Your brother stopped me in my tracks the other day with a question.”</p><p>Yoh’s mouth curls into a circle. “Oh.”</p><p>“No, I mean he did physically block my path because he wanted to ask me something.” Ryu tries to play it off with humor, but Yoh is alarmed to note that there is a note of tension in his voice. “He asked me if it is true that I was a normal human before I became a shaman.”</p><p>“Oh man, Ryu, I’m so sorry!” Yoh’s face falls into a grimace as he realizes that what Ryu went through is all his fault. “I told Hao your story when I was telling him about Manta and that time Tokagero went wild.”</p><p>Ryu snickers and even Tokagero’s translucent form seems to shimmer in amusement.</p><p>“Wild is one way to see it. But there is no problem, master Yoh! I was just very surprised that Hao knew about it.”</p><p>Yoh is almost afraid to ask, but. “So, what did you talk about?”</p><p>Ryu’s shoulders seem to lose some of their tension as he relates the encounter to him.</p><p>“I answered him honestly and then he asked more about what it was like being a weak human. He said that – and I quote – ‘I am an abomination because shamans are shamans and humans are humans’.”</p><p>The more Ryu talks the more Yoh’s stomach drops to the ground and by the end of it, his head falls into his open palm with a groan.</p><p>“What the hell…”</p><p>Paradoxically, Ryu laughs with enthusiasm. “That was my answer too, but Ryu was more fired up about it!”</p><p>“And he went on to give him a full-on lecture on why that way of thinking is stupid.” Tokagero barks a laugh, full of glee at the memory.</p><p>Ryu barely looks repentant. “Ryu needed to teach Hao a lesson on why his opinions are outdated and suck.”</p><p>Yoh peeks over at the older man and makes the leap of faith. “And how did he take it?”</p><p>To Ryu’s credit, he answers almost immediately.</p><p>“Better than I expected. He was not angry, he was,” Ryu tilts his head from side to side, considering, before he settles on the word, “thoughtful.”</p><p>Yoh’s first reaction is denial because otherwise things will be different, the world will be upside down and he might find out that there is hope for Hao after all. But then he thinks about it harder and on all the things his brother has done in the last few weeks.</p><p>Ryu leaves him to it with a strong pat on his shoulder, but Yoh barely feels the force behind it because his mind is reeling.</p><p>Hao did not readily kill Yoh’s friends. He even accepted to train them <em>all</em>, despite the fact that there was still animosity between them.</p><p>He <em>did </em>make an effort to stop himself from killing people after that first night and whenever Yoh asked him to, even if begrudgingly. </p><p>At some point, he warmed up to them, quickly followed by his followers, but Yoh chalks it up to his friends’ influence.</p><p>“What do you think, Amidamaru?” Because, at the end of the day, Yoh has one more person to ask.</p><p>When he appears, his friend’s face is drawn up into a serious expression and there is something unreadable in his eyes. Yoh braces himself for the worst, especially considering that the samurai is definitely not overly fond of Hao either. And where Yoh is concerned, he doesn’t think that his older brother gave Amidamaru any reason to think of him otherwise.</p><p>“I am not quite sure to be honest, but I do think that we were wrong in assuming that he was a hopeless case.” Which is as shocking to Yoh as any of the other revelations today. He absolutely did not expect Amidamaru to have any type of good opinion where his brother is concerned. “From what I’ve seen, Hao did show the possibility of change.”</p><p>The salve of positive outlooks on his brother deter some of his darker thoughts from earlier, but there are still things Yoh has experienced that just don’t seem to add up. They all keep saying that Hao might be able to change, but Yoh still feels like he’s been hitting a granite wall with his head for two whole months.</p><p>“You saw what happened in the fight against the Lees, Amidamaru. Do you seriously think that there’s hope after that?”</p><p>Amidamaru fixes Yoh with a grim gaze and a tight-lipped smile. “It was nothing he never did before, but you seemed to take it worse than you would have had two months ago.”</p><p>“That’s because I’ve been trying for <em>two months</em> to change his mind!”</p><p>“Change is hard, Yoh.” Amidamaru reminds gently. “But from what Ryu said, I do believe that Hao might be inclined to listen.” The samurai drifts slowly upwards, but then stops and slips further towards the ground where Yoh is still sitting. “And about the match yesterday,” Amidamaru begins uncertainly, successfully confusing Yoh, “I’m not so sure that it was what you think it was.”</p><p>Which brings another slew of questions to Yoh’s already overworked mind.</p><p>“What do you mean by that?”</p><p>“Well, Faust’s positive outlook on the match made me think more closely about it, change my perspective from one tainted by the haze of battle.” Amidamaru’s form suddenly clears and he is now completely visible, seated on the ground in front of Yoh with his legs crossed. “Faust is not someone to sugar coat his words, so when he did put the battle in such a perspective, I began to reconsider what Hao was actually trying to do.”</p><p>Yoh leans forward, interested and more than desperate to find out what Amidamaru thinks happened instead of the nightmare Yoh still runs away from.</p><p>“Your brother is rather <em>fond</em>, for lack of a better word, of constantly testing you, Yoh. He never quite stops, even when it seems that he does.”</p><p>When Amidamaru trails off, Yoh’s mind is there to pick up the idea and complete it.</p><p>“You think that he was testing me when he attacked the Lees.” Yoh’s voice breaks lousily by the end of the sentence and his brain feels suddenly sluggish and heavy.</p><p>His friend’s expression is apologetic. “Your skills in elemental control continued to be lacking, even after so much training and such a long time. And everyone knows that you work better under pressure. I agree that his need to include innocent people is rather hazardous, but I do believe that his intentions were just that.”</p><p>The world shifts on its axis a few degrees with the latest revelation, because while Yoh’s raging anger that hasn’t yet completely subsided insists that Hao is evil, the more logical side of him agrees with his heart that what Amidamaru says makes a lot of sense. It might just be that his brother was pushing Yoh to his limits so he could finally take that final leap he still struggled to take.</p><p>Hao told him to stop being afraid and to become one with the fire, but Yoh couldn’t – not on his own. His brother took what Yoh does best and forced his hand to do a task that was impossible for him just yesterday.</p><p>“He’s such a frustrating <em>idiot</em>!”</p><p>It’s one of the few times that Yoh lets his mouth run off and actually offer less than complimenting words at his brother’s address with a groan. And that is because Hao has a dramatic sense of flair that is as of yet incorrigible to him. It confuses him, even irritates him, but most of all, it is a pain in the ass to be in its range of operations.</p><p>“Why can’t he just be normal and <em>say something</em>?”</p><p>The rhetoric question falls flat as Amidamaru waits for Yoh to arrive to his own conclusions.</p><p>On the other hand, Yoh is now less angry and more guilty. He feels ashamed to have snapped at Hao the way he did, but on the other hand, his stupid brother could have said something. But of course he did not, because they are just beginning to be brothers, are just beginning to <em>understand</em> what it means to have a brother.</p><p>Yoh knew that things will be hard but whatever he imagined couldn’t begin to compare to reality. Still, he made many promises and he will keep them no matter what. Even if Hao really turned out to be just a psychopath.</p><p>“Now I feel bad, Amidamaru.” Yoh’s tone is tinged with a whine and the samurai chuckles at the display.</p><p>“I’m not sure if you’re the only one who should feel bad.”</p><p>“Yeah, no way Hao is going to feel bad.” Yoh grins, with a lot more levity than before. “But I guess that now I owe him an apology.”</p><p>Amidamaru shakes his head despondently. “I suppose that you can just give it your best and leave the apologies for later, if they will be needed anymore.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can do that.” Yoh rubs his chin, feeling a thousand times lighter than when this whole nightmare began. He winks at his friend and teases. “You really are a barrel full of wisdom when you try, huh?”</p><p>“Don’t push your luck, Yoh. In my case, I <i>do</i> ask for official apologies.”</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Hao "Orders a black coffee at Mc Donald's and drives away" Asakura</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>Yoh steadfastly avoids his brother for the rest of the day, though he does keep an eye on his movements.</p><p>Hao seems to be coming and going from the camp in the last few days and Yoh barely sees him anymore. Just fresh out of their fight, his brother is more elusive than before.</p><p>Still, that awards him precious time to put a semblance of a plan into action. It is exactly what he intends to do while he follows Faust around doggedly.</p><p>Many throw him questioning looks, especially because they must look like a pretty funny pair, but Faust is only the second of two doctors that have in their hands a camp full of shamans who love to fight and argue.</p><p>Faust has graciously accepted to help, and he has rounds to make before he does anything else with what little free time remains. But this once, he agrees to take Yoh along with him, since the boy figured that it gives him enough of a reason not to meet up with his older brother. Obviously, the excuse is paper-thin and stupid, but Yoh doesn’t need an alibi and he barely feels that he has to answer to Hao – not when the older boy hardly tells Yoh much of anything either.</p><p>“Hello, Mayra. How are you today?” Faust’s bedside manners have supremely improved from the time Yoh fought with him in the first round. His smile is polite, warm even and Eliza is a star in this dance between patient and doctor.</p><p>Mayra is a small granny, and the oldest person Yoh has seen in his brother’s camp. She looks very frail, but he can sense her furyoku and it is staggering how much power exists in that small body.</p><p>Her eyes are knowing when she turns in his direction.</p><p>“Such resemblance – you and Hao-sama are like a mirror of each other.” Her palms open and her cracked lips pull into a thin smile. “Perfect reflections.”</p><p>Something in Yoh’s chest squeezes and tightens at her words. He receives them with a smile, but inwardly he is unsure how to feel about it. It isn’t like he didn’t know – it is as obvious as night and day that they are physically similar in every way besides small differences – like hair length and fashion sense.</p><p>Yoh is unsure what went wrong there, but his brother’s choice in clothes is horrendous and Yoh isn’t normally one to bat an eye at most strange fashion choices. And considering that he is friends with Ryu and Ren and Horo, he has enough experience in that field.</p><p>“Mister Faust!” The two little kids they visit next are brothers and speak with a strangely undulating accept that Yoh cannot place.</p><p>One of them is nestled in a mountain of blankets, but still smiles sunnily at them when they enter while the older one sits by his brother’s bedside.</p><p>Faust makes small talk, which is another insane proceeding that happens before his eyes. In two months, he’s gotten to know him better, but the doctor never really ventures with small talk when he is not interested in the subject that is being discussed.</p><p>But now Faust speaks of everything and nothing with these two and it is as jarring as it is eye-opening. Eliza winks at Yoh from the other side of the room as she returns with a bunch of towels and two syringes.</p><p>Yoh all but cries his way out of the tent, but Faust reassures him that the child will be alright. He eyes the path in and out of the outer circle of tents, but he sees no people lounging around the area.</p><p>“Say, where are those kids’ parents?”</p><p>Yoh’s certainly never seen them around.</p><p>“They don’t have parents anymore.” Faust answers simply, flatly.</p><p>Yoh lets the subject go for the moment. He looks around again, but they are just hopping from one closed tent to another.</p><p>“What’s up with this place?”</p><p>Usually, his brother’s followers are loud and don’t hesitate to mingle, even if it means getting into stupid arguments just for the hell of it.</p><p>“It feels like the outskirts of the camp, doesn’t it?” Faust asks, shockingly amused at Yoh’s reaction. When he gets a nod in return, the doctor continues. “Then I have to inform you that it isn’t. The camp is designed in a complicated layout that actually brings this place in its center and the campfire to the outer edge. The tents of the fighters form a semicircle around the whole place.”</p><p>Yoh’s eyebrows fly high up on his forehead because he’s never noticed such a thing before. His mouth must probably be open because Faust chuckles.</p><p>“That was my reaction, too. But it makes a lot of sense – these people are the most helpless ones and they are completely protected this way. You just didn’t notice because you have to know what to look for.”</p><p>“Huh, I took it for granted, I guess.” Yoh mutters, watching as Faust stops at yet another tent.</p><p>This time, it is a frail young woman who greets them with an overly tired smile in their direction. Her eyes widen marginally when she spots Yoh and she bows her head before he has the chance to tell her that he’s not who she thinks he is.</p><p>“I know,” her smile wavers and she coughs, a strange rattling sound, “but you are Hao-sama’s brother.”</p><p>As if that is all the explanation she needs.</p><p>“What’s with all these people, Faust?” Yoh finally cracks after the fifth tent and the fifth ill person they see.</p><p>The doctor throws him a questioning look. “What do you mean, Yoh? They are ill-”</p><p>“No, I got that.” Yoh rolls his eyes, exasperated. “I mean, why are they here? Why did Hao ever take them along with him? I didn’t peg him as a guy who helps people unless it’s in his best interest.”</p><p>Faust is silent for a few minutes as they finish the last of his rounds. They are on the way to their sturdy hideout when he speaks again.</p><p>“I used to think so too. But then I got to meet these people and I realized that things aren’t exactly what they seem. They,” a grimace overcomes his features, “have gone through some bad things. Repeatedly.”</p><p>“Repeatedly?” Yoh echoes with confusion. “And what’s that supposed to mean? A lot of people have gone through bad things.” And many more bad things happened because of his brother too.</p><p>“From what I understand, they are special cases. Reincarnations.”</p><p>Yoh stops in his tracks at the notion. His knowledge of shamans who can reincarnate resumes to one and it is Hao.</p><p>“Huh?” He says helpfully. “But I thought that only Hao mastered reincarnation!”</p><p>Faust at least has the decency to not leave him in the dark, though it is obvious that the subject matter also gives the doctor a few headaches when he talks about it.</p><p>“Yes, but apparently reincarnation is still a thing. Hao is the only one able to control it and choose when he wishes to be reborn, but these people have souls that are prone to transmigration and reincarnation. They’ve been doing it for hundreds of years and since they are shamans, they are able to remember all their past lives.”</p><p>Faust sighs, more tired than Yoh’s ever seen him before. He sits on the ground and lets his hand fall into the cold water of the river.</p><p>“And every time, they suffered to boot. Your brother apparently knows all of them, and he gathered them with the promise that their suffering will stop in his shaman-only kingdom.”</p><p>“Wait, so you mean that he allows them to be here with nothing to gain? Because he wants to help them.” It is as incredible to Yoh as the realizations he had this morning.</p><p>His shock and surprise must show on his face because Faust chuckles.</p><p>“Yes, if you can believe it. <em>I</em> certainly couldn’t, not at first.” His gaze softens. “But after I had the chance to talk to most of them, I realized that it is the truth.” His pale eyes lift to meet Yoh’s and he takes a deep breath. “Which makes what you do here incrementally more important.”</p><p>“Incre-what?”</p><p>But Faust has already swiped the subject aside with such an astute motion that Yoh is left reeling.</p><p>“Let’s think how we should proceed, Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh sits down in front of him and rests his chin in his open palm. The water laps at their side and the chirping of the birds masks any clamor that might come from the direction of the camp.</p><p>The younger boy hums, uncertain and without any ideas. He looks at Faust, calm and still as he knows him. Eliza sits at his side with a smile on her lips and Yoh likes to think that she offers him a reassuring expression behind her blue twinkling eyes and knowing gaze.</p><p>“What do you think, Faust?” Yoh prompts when too long has passed without any exchange of ideas between them. He waits for the doctor to put to good use that course in psychology he claimed to have taken back in Germany, where he went to university to study medicine.</p><p>“I think you should be more open-minded, Yoh.” Faust lifts the hand submerged in water and clasps his hands together. Water drips onto his pants, but he does not mind it. “Lately, you’ve let your fear of failing what you set out here to do cloud your sight. Let me ask you this – why did you set out on this path in the first place?”</p><p>His words take Yoh aback because he certainly did not expect him to ask this. He thought that there would be a dissection of Hao’s mind and actions, not his. A frown mars his features, but he still struggles to answer.</p><p>“I joined up with Hao because I thought that I could help him and change his mind.”</p><p>Faust’s expression is inscrutable, though his eyes never waver from Yoh’s.</p><p>“Go on.” He urges when Yoh’s mouth closes.</p><p>The younger boy clears his throat, uncomfortable.</p><p>“Because, uhm, I didn’t want to, uh,” a hand reaches up and rubs at the back of his neck, feeling suddenly embarrassed and discombobulated, “it was because...”</p><p>Yoh shuts his mouth with a click because recalling his mindset back then is more painful than it should be. He knows exactly why he is here, though many things happened that have discouraged him to almost abandon those ideas.</p><p>His hands clench in the material of his jeans and he averts his gaze to the gravelly ground.</p><p>“It was because I wanted to stop this mindless bloodshed the Asakura clan has been practicing for one thousand years. Two other people from my clan have been tasked to kill Hao and they did it. And I realized that now that I’m the next one – the same thing will happen that happened five hundred years ago and a thousand years ago. Hao will just reincarnate in another five hundred years and I will have risked my life and the life of my friends only for the whims of my family.”</p><p>Yoh is unsure how he must look when he glances up, but while Faust remains unresponsive, Eliza flinches visibly.</p><p>“Because – because Hao is my <em>brother</em>. He is my twin brother and I just couldn’t find any reason in my mind to convince myself to <em>kill</em> my <em>brother.</em> I can’t and I decided that I won’t.”</p><p>“And that’s why you joined him instead.” Faust adds on, watching Yoh without criticism or ill intention. Just inviting him to continue because Yoh must have more to say.</p><p>“Yes, because I thought that I can change his mind.” A self-deprecating smile curves his lips languidly upwards. “’I am his little brother, Hao must be willing to listen to me’. ‘I will negotiate with him for the humans and the shamans he considers weak and unfit to be part of his so-called shaman-only kingdom’.” A laugh tumbles past his lips and this time Faust purses his lips at him. “But I can’t see any improvement. Worse, I think it’s worse actually.”</p><p>“Yoh,” the doctor begins seriously, clasping his hands on top of his crossed legs, “think about what you just said. And think about your interactions with Hao in the last months. From a distance, I thought that you guys have a better rapport than I could have imagined after such a short time.”</p><p>“Well, he, I – yeah,” Yoh shrugs, unsure how to describe it, “I guess. We talk, and he’s almost great. I feel that things are like how they should be. But then something like yesterday happens and it’s like the world crumbles again.”</p><p>Faust grunts, as if in protest. “No, I don’t see it that way at all. You are different than how you were last night. What did you figure out?”</p><p>It’s Yoh’s turn to forward a demure look, complete with pursed lips.</p><p>“Uh, Ryu apparently gave my brother a full lecture on why humans and shamans aren’t so different, and he took it pretty well.” He clears his throat. “And Amidamaru made me realize that Hao was just testing me in the match yesterday.”</p><p>For the first time since the conversation began, Faust smiles – a tiny, but pleased curve of his lips that signals that he is satisfied with Yoh’s answer.</p><p>“That’s how I saw it too. If you were in my place, you’d have seen it too. That fire attack curved unnaturally – it went upwards like a wave and in a straight line – when the most effective way to kill his opponents would have been to attack from both sides and crush them in.” Faust leans a bit forward, as if to underline the importance of his next words. “I do think that your brother was pretty sure you’d be able to stop that attack.”</p><p>Yoh chuckles, breathily and without much compunction. “Never let it be said that Hao doesn’t like his tests.”</p><p>“On that note,” the doctor’s expression returns to its resting blank expression that Yoh knows very well, “I do think that you continue to be in a test, whether you like to acknowledge it or not. Hao wants to see how far you will go and not falter in your promises.”</p><p>Yoh feels a stone drop in his stomach as his hands flex unconsciously.</p><p>“But he just saw me falter.”</p><p>“<em>But</em> he did not see you give up. Which is the most important thing right now.” Faust extends a hand and pats Yoh’s right fist. “That’s why now it is important that you go and make sure you convince him that you didn’t give up.”</p><p>Yoh nods resolutely. He feels determination replace the dreadful feelings of distress and helplessness that have been plaguing him since yesterday.</p><p>“Got it, Faust!” Yoh then pauses and throws the doctor a puzzled glance. ”But, uh, I thought that we were here to make a plan for Hao.”</p><p>Faust, to his credit, only blinks.</p><p>“We just did.”</p><p>Faust looks at Yoh and Yoh looks at Faust.</p><p>The younger boy lets a heartbeat pass before he opens his mouth again.</p><p>“But I thought that the strategy was for <em>Hao</em>.”</p><p>“It is for Hao.” Faust answers, infinitely patient. “The trick was to get you to realize what you still needed to do.”</p><p>“Wait – so there isn’t any plan on how to change Hao’s mind?”</p><p>This time the doctor looks almost offended.</p><p>“I certainly have no clue on that front.” And his answer makes Yoh hang his head, defeated. “You have all the tricks you need up that sleeve of yours, Yoh. I’m pretty sure that you will be able to do it by yourself. We are just here for the ride.” Faust appears serene when he says this.</p><p>Yoh shakes his head and sighs as he sits up, patting the back of his pants free of clinging pebbles and dust.</p><p>“You really tricked me this time, Faust.”</p><p>The doctor laughs at the words and even Eliza giggles behind her hand, which kind of proves Yoh’s assumption right.</p><p>“Psychology is tricky like that.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Yoh corners his brother that very evening after dinner.</p><p>Hao is taciturn on a good day, but these days he is more repressed than usual. Yoh likes to think that it’s because of their argument, though it must be about other, more important things that weight on his brother’s mind.</p><p>Even so, Yoh plasters an easy smile on his face that will probably put his brother on guard more than anything else. His hands dig deeper into his pockets as he makes his way closer to where his brother sits on yet another big rock and talks with Brocken about something or the other.</p><p>He’s pretty sure that Hao knows he is coming when the other boy slips down to the ground form his perch, but it’s not like he wants to take his brother by surprise. Try as he might, Hao can see him coming from miles away and it takes all the fun out of it.</p><p>His brother dismisses Brocken as Yoh pulls up to his side and it’s just as well because that gives him a free pathway of conversation that he would otherwise have to skitter through around strangers.</p><p>“Yo!”</p><p>Hao does not seem to buy into his cheery attitude. He gives him a wary look and Yoh inwardly sighs. He tries again.</p><p>“What’s up?”</p><p>Never let it be said that he’s not as bullheadedly stubborn as other primary examples of the category.</p><p>“Nothing much.” Hao’s answer leaves a lot to be desired, but at least Yoh got him talking. “You seem inordinately cheery.”</p><p>Yoh grins at the observation. “Never heard that word before, but yeah I guess I am cheery.”</p><p>Long used to Yoh’s unworthy record of known words in the English language, Hao glosses over that part professionally.</p><p>“And why is that you are so cheery?” His brother’s mouth does something funny then, like he can’t quite settle on an expression. “And talking to me, to boot.”</p><p>It’s Yoh’s turn to be confused, though he only blinks in reply. Even mad, Yoh didn’t think that not talking to Hao was an option. Though now that he thinks back, he did keep his distance from the other boy, so he must have thought that Yoh is one of those people who don’t talk to the people they are mad at.</p><p>In reality, Yoh was dealing with a staggering bout of helplessness at his own weak attempts to sway his brother onto a more honorable life plan and also into not killing everyone on earth.</p><p>Still, that is Yoh’s problem and now he reaps the unfortunate results of his actions.</p><p>“Right, sorry about that.” Yoh rubs the back of his neck, sheepish. Hao lifts an eyebrow. “I just had my own things to deal with, but I wasn’t trying to ignore you, I promise!”</p><p>“More like you were avoiding me, little brother.”</p><p>But Yoh isn’t at all derailed.</p><p>“Because I had stuff to deal with.”</p><p>“And it wasn’t at all about me, that <em>stuff</em>?”</p><p>“Well it was, but it was <em>my</em> stuff. You have nothing to worry about!” And as if this situation isn’t more than absurd, Yoh drapes a hand over Hao’s shoulders.</p><p>The older boy rightfully freezes, startled by the gesture like a deer in front of a car’s headlights.</p><p>“So, I was thinking about-“</p><p>“What are you doing, Yoh?” Whatever reaction Yoh thought he’d receive, it wasn’t the unsettling consideration he is presented with. Something at the back of his brother’s steady gaze seems to flicker with uncertainty and it’s enough to steady Yoh’s resolve into a concrete weapon to use efficiently.</p><p>“If you’d let me finish what I was saying, then you would have found out.” Yoh says with forced levity, but Hao is not fooled.</p><p>“After almost two days and an explosive reaction, you are suddenly incredibly friendly with me.”</p><p>This time, it is Yoh’s turn to become aggravated. If he has to repeat his words one more time…</p><p>“I just told you I was dealing with stuff. What’s so hard to get?” It’s like he’s talking to a toddler. Worse, it’s like he’s talking to – “Man, you’ve been spending too much time around Horo, Hao. He’s starting to rub off on you.”</p><p>Hao’s hackles rise and he rushes to defend his as-of-yet untarnished reputation.</p><p>“That is ridiculous!” Though he does look slightly worried that what Yoh said might be true.</p><p>Yoh throws his head back and laughs, glad that he is still able to get under his brother’s skin so easily.</p><p>Hao scowls in return, but he relaxes marginally and that is all that matters to Yoh right now.</p><p>“<em>So, </em>as I was saying before you <em>rudely</em> interrupted me, was that I was thinking of sneaking into Dobi village to get a late night milkshake. And I was wondering if you wanna come with.”</p><p>Hao opens his mouth at once, but no sound comes out, so he closes it. Yoh waits patiently as his brother clears his throat, stops, does it again even though there is no need to and, finally, tries again.</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“Great!”</p><p>Immediately, Yoh starts to drag him in the direction of the village. Hao extracts himself from his little brother’s sticky hands and walks on his own, all the while aware that Yoh is studiously glancing at him every few meters or so. As if Hao would disappear should he look away, but that is far from the truth.</p><p>The older boy’s new mission today is to find out what made his little brother change his mind so abruptly. When they last talked after the match against team Tres Magnifique, Yoh was seething and reproachful.</p><p>Hao was almost sure that in the next few days his brother would disappear along with his throng of friends because he has decided not to bother with him anymore. That particular situation would have been unfortunate, but something made Yoh change his mind if he is now acting as if everything is back to normal again.</p><p>No, even more, his little brother acts as if things are <em>perfect</em>. As if there was no argument, there are no plans of changing Hao’s mind and there isn’t the fate of the world at stake. Yoh’s smile is sunny when he offers it and his words are comfortably warm when he speaks.</p><p>Hao is unsure whether to take this sudden change at face value or dig deeper, even though it is the last thing he wants to do. Not for the first time, he wonders if it wouldn’t be better to go along with whatever charade Yoh is putting up today and not bother with things that might be potentially painful. Because Hao would lie if he’d say that there wasn’t a painful twinge in his chest every time his mind wandered over to the possibility that Yoh might leave for real. That he might, in the end, shun their connection and become his enemy once more.</p><p>Truth to be told, Hao has become accustomed to having his little brother by his side and while in the beginning he was impartial to the deed, he feels loathe now to consider killing Yoh to take his power and unify his soul once more.</p><p>It isn’t even that he feels a part of it missing and it is incremental that he does it. It might have been in the beginning, when he would have done that just for the hell of it, but besides his furyoku being halved when his little brother slid into the picture, it’s just that Yoh has wiggled steadily through Hao’s defenses and settled in somewhere pretty important. And now Hao doesn’t know if he will be able to get <em>it</em> done anymore.</p><p>“… and he made me promise not to tell you, but I will take that chance if it means what I think it means!”</p><p>Hao’s thought process is messily interrupted by Yoh speaking, but the boy hardly knows what his little brother is talking about. He turns his head and looks askance at Yoh, though the other boy throws him a look that says he knows exactly that he wasn’t listening to him.</p><p>“You’re always so deep in thought.” Yoh observes after an unnatural pause. His hands are deep into his pockets and for once, his headphones hang around his neck. “What’s the mastermind thinking about today?”</p><p>Hao snorts and fixes his eyes on the deserted street they stumbled onto, on the outskirts of the village. Here the light is scarce, and the place is lifeless, but the shiny center is visible through the cracks in the stone buildings and shuttered shops.</p><p>“Nothing much. Just <em>stuff</em>.” And it feels liberating to be paying Yoh back with the same token.</p><p>His little brother snickers and turns his eyes to the open circle cut into the rock above their heads. A sky full of twinkling stars steadily spreads as they keep on walking deeper into the village proper.</p><p>“Fair enough.” Yoh’s eyes widen as they turn up another corner. “Man, it’s bright out here!” His exclamation goes unheard by the shamans in their way, though that won’t be happening for long.</p><p>Here in the village center, taverns, restaurants and cafés stay open until very late at night. There are a couple of pubs and clubs also open until morning, but Hao knows that even with his clout, they won’t be admitted inside because they are still kids.</p><p>Yoh settles for a frilly café establishment that just grates on Hao’s last nerves and he knows that <em>Yoh</em> <em>knows </em>that. Which is why the little bastard chooses it in the first place.</p><p>His little brother ignores whatever glares and stares are thrown in their direction as they make their way through the glass door. Hao leaves his reputation at the door and promises himself that if Yoh dares to make fun of him one more time tonight, he will get what’s coming for him.</p><p>The older boy orders himself a coffee and resolutely refuses anything to eat because he already had his meal, but Yoh orders himself a full cheeseburger with fries and chocolate milkshake menu.</p><p>“I should have expected you to pull something like this.” Hao shakes his head as he watches Yoh pour an unhealthy amount of barbeque sauce and mayonnaise on his plate.</p><p>“Can you blame me?” Yoh whines as he drowns a fry in the two sauces then pops it into his mouth. “It’s been <em>months</em> since I’ve had this heavenly treat.”</p><p>“I kind of doubt that but go on.” Hao rests his head on his palm while he plays with the rim of his coffee cup with his free hand.</p><p>“I’m serious!” Yoh says through a mouthful of greasy burger and Hao tries his best not to grimace. He’s never been a fan of this modern fast food and try as he might, it never did quite stick. What did stick, however, is the coffee.</p><p>“Whatever you say, little brother.” Hao agrees just to get him to shut up and peacefully eat his sandwich. A pitiful thought that does not become reality.</p><p>First, Hao is forced to watch with increasing horror as his brother sticks a fry into the <em>milkshake</em>, after which he joyously eats it with an unhealthy amount of gusto.</p><p>Second, he has the gall to present Hao with a sorry excuse of a fry and ask him if he wants to try.</p><p>Hao eyes the poor, drooping potato fried in too much oil and full of too much salt with something akin to disgust. His brother’s fingers are coated in a thick sheen of salt as well, which Hao would like not to have on his own fingers thank you very much. And then his gaze shifts to the innocent chocolate milkshake and he wonders – along with the milkshake’s spirit, probably – what the sugary treat did wrong to deserve this treatment.</p><p>“C’mon, it’s <em>good</em>. You can trust me on this one.” Yoh’s grin is unflattering, but at least he doesn’t have his mouth full of food.</p><p>Hao decides to take a leap of faith, because everything regarding Yoh has been a leap of faith until now. And if the boy hasn’t yet turned tail and run, then maybe Hao should be more tolerant of the more eccentric of Yoh’s quirks.</p><p>With a sigh, Hao plucks the fry from between his brother’s fingers and sticks it into the chocolate milkshake. He gives it one reluctant sniff before he pops it into his mouth.</p><p>For some reason, his reaction makes Yoh laugh.</p><p>“So how was it?”</p><p>Hao does not normally like to admit he is wrong, but this instance, he can give it to Yoh that he was not wrong.</p><p>“Better than I imagined, but not in my top ten.”</p><p>“It’s an acquired taste.” Yoh shrugs and continues with his meal.</p><p>Hao lifts a delicate eyebrow. “I see that you are learning new words.”</p><p>One corner of his little brother’s mouth quirks up. “Gotta keep myself occupied these days.”</p><p>His answer trails off and leaves them in silence.</p><p>Yoh approaches another subject when he’s finished eating.</p><p>“So, was it really a test in our last match?” Yoh claps his hands together to get rid of the excess of salt, though by now Hao is unsure if the salt will ever come off.</p><p>“What was a test?”</p><p>Yoh awards him a <em>look</em>. “That last attack.”</p><p>“Ah,” which is not exactly what Hao meant to say, but he is neither inclined to speak the truth. Yet. When he looks at his brother, he sees it in his eyes that he will probably cling to that answer and that expression also makes him realize that whatever reply he gives, it will influence Yoh in one way or another.</p><p>Hao has been aware for some time now that their relationship has evolved and will possibly continue to evolve. They are brothers and such a connection takes time and work, but it is not impossible to reforge. Yoh is clearly making the effort to get there, but Hao also needs to agree to take those steps with him.</p><p>Hao does not know what it means to have a <em>real</em> brother, because the concept has been there from the beginning, but it only solidified a very short time ago. Yoh must be in the same situation, but they are different characters and Hao has an armful of a storyline behind his back that impedes him from venturing into things headfirst.</p><p>But he is aware that deep inside his soul, he wants to. He wants Yoh to succeed, to close that gap between them and to find out what it’s like to have a brother who he can always count on, no matter what may come.</p><p>So then the answer is a simple, “Yes.”</p><p>Yoh blinks, as if surprised that Hao has conceded so easily.</p><p>“Why didn’t you say anything about that when we talked after?” Yoh demands with a small frown.</p><p>The answer is simple to Hao. “I doubt that you would have listened to reason back then. You were in an unstable mood.”</p><p>Yoh shakes his head, unhurriedly sorting through his memories and emotions of that day.</p><p>Hao clasps his hands and rests his chin on his them as he watches his brother.</p><p>“What made you realize it?” Then after a moment of thought. “Or more specifically, <em>who</em>.”</p><p>Heaving a sigh, Yoh leans back in his seat with the glass of milkshake clutched in his hands.</p><p>“The guys,” he replies offhandedly, “Faust mostly. And Amidamaru.”</p><p>Yoh sips his drink and Hao is once again derailed.</p><p>“Faust?” Because he is curious as to how the good doctor did that.</p><p>“Yeah, he was watching our match. And he told me what he saw. And then Amidamaru helped me realize it too.” Yoh’s lower lip juts out a little bit and Hao is uncertain if it is a conscious action or not. “Why didn’t you just say so?” he repeats his earlier question.</p><p>“I told you why, Yoh.” Hao says, clipped. “So now that you are aware of the truth, what are you going to do?”</p><p>Yoh raises one shoulder, casual. “Nothing different from what I’ve been doing until now.”</p><p>Then it all comes to the next question.</p><p>“And if it wasn’t a test, what would you have done?”</p><p>Yoh takes five full seconds to formulate an answer. For some, the time span might be short, but for Hao it feels like an eternity.</p><p>“Nothing different from what I’ve been doing until now.” Yoh repeats the motion and the sentence, with the exact same emotions rolling behind his eyes and with the same set of relaxed shoulders.</p><p>It prompts Hao to laugh out loud at him because there is something incongruous with Yoh Asakura and it strikes at the worst of times.</p><p>“You really are an interesting person, little brother.”</p><p>“What, you expected me to say that I would’ve run?” Yoh tests the waters.</p><p>Hao scoffs. “More or less.”</p><p>The straw exits his mouth with a loud pop. He throws Hao a lopsided grin.</p><p>“Then you still don’t know me very well.”</p><p>Hao takes a sip of his cold coffee as he watches his brother thoughtfully.</p><p>“I told you what I’m here to do and you’re not getting rid of me until I achieve that!”</p><p>Yoh’s smile is genuine but Hao wonders about his words. His little brother’s grief has also been sincere, but his friends and his guardian spirit seem to have had a hand in keeping him on track.</p><p>Hao ponders if they will be enough. He can venture a guess on what the future might hold, especially considering that he’s been planning it thoroughly for the last five hundred years. Even so, Yoh has proved to be a potentially explosive variable.</p><p>In short, he looks forward to it.</p><p>“I look forward to it.” Hao finishes his coffee and stands up, ready to depart from the dreadfully happy shop.</p><p>Yoh’s gaze follows his movements.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Hao looks down at his innocently devilish face. “I have no money to pay.”</p><p>Hao is very much inclined to summon the spirit of fire and get it over with, but then Yoh will probably haunt him forever and he doesn’t wish for eternal torment either. So he slams the necessary sum on the table and power walks to the exit.</p><p>“Thanks for the food! It was great.”</p><p>Hao rolls his eyes as Yoh draws up next to him.</p><p>For the next five minutes he catches his brother shoot covert glances in a seemingly random direction, though Hao has a feeling that he knows where his little brother’s mind is at.</p><p>With a sigh, he decides that getting Yoh out of his hair so he can ruminate better over what they talked about will benefit all the parties involved.</p><p>“You can go pay her a visit, if you wish.”</p><p>Yoh’s head snaps in his direction so fast, Hao is afraid he might have sprained something. There is a dusting of red over his cheeks and Hao wants to groan at the stupid teenager. He’s been through two lifetimes already, he can easily recognize the signs. He just didn’t think his brother would be such a <em>sucker</em>, but that’s Yoh for you.</p><p>“<em>Go</em>. And promise to spare me on the details when you get back.”</p><p>Yoh chuckles and pats Hao’s back a little roughly before departing with a wave.</p><p>Hao doesn’t waste time watching him jog away. He summons his guardian spirit and returns to camp in a matter of seconds.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Anna perks up as something moves under their window again. Grass scrunches under their footsteps and twigs snap under their weight. There is an irritating kind of shuffling that has Anna abandon the sanctity of her bed and approach the window.</p><p>Here in Dobi village, the night temperatures are comfortable, yet there are no windows in any of the old hovels the Patch administration calls hotels. They keep saying that this is the traditional way and that these houses are more or less a national treasure, but Anna has seen enough of them explode because of unruly arguments between shamans to get to the conclusion that the Patch council is poor as all hell. And that they have no money to modernize the hotels for the shaman fighters.</p><p>Which brings them here, to the reason why Anna has to be bothered by whoever dares to disrupt her night by snooping around.</p><p>With a mighty scowl, she makes it to the sill in three large steps and peers down. What she comes face to face with is Yoh, half dangling from the window and watching her with wide eyes and an open mouth.</p><p>The first thing he does, the idiot, is yelp and scramble around, successfully making a big racket.</p><p>The first thing Anna does is slap him over the face with enough force to make him fall to the ground rather painfully.</p><p>“Anna, is everything alright?” Tamao is the closest to the window and she must have heard more than Pirika, who is still soundly sleeping across the room.</p><p>Anna turns to the nervous girl with a blank expression over her face as she answers.</p><p>“Just taking care of some trash. Go back to sleep, Tammy.”</p><p>Tamao hesitantly nods, and Anna strides out of the room, down a short set of stairs and onto the cool air outside. She forgoes her street clothes, and instead slips her red scarf around her shoulders and over her pajamas.</p><p>Yoh sits on the nearest bench to their hotel, nursing his bruised cheek. He shoots her a large grin when he sees her approach and Anna takes one moment to look him over.</p><p>He looks fine – a little haggard – but fine nonetheless.</p><p>“What are you doing here so late?” Her question brings his grin down a notch.</p><p>Now that she sits next to him on the bench, she can see his face is very close in color to the mark she left on his cheek. He reaches up to rub the back of his neck in a very Yoh-like gesture.</p><p>“I was in town and I decided to drop by.” The grin is back as he deflects. “It’s a good thing that you have the room on the first floor, or it would have been pretty difficult to climb up there.”</p><p>Anna sighs over his chuckle. She crosses her arms over her chest as she says offhandedly.</p><p>“The boys and Jun have the rooms on the second floor.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“Yoh,” Anna sees his shoulders rise with tension, “did something happen?”</p><p>He never paid a visit until now, but he’s here and she’s worried that there is something wrong. And her thoughts never cease to bring her onto the darkest paths of the imagination available.</p><p>“It did, but now everything’s fine again.”</p><p>“Is it about the match against the Lees?”</p><p>Yoh’s head turns slightly in her direction and Anna scowls.</p><p>“Of course I noticed! You looked terrified on that battlefield.”</p><p>“That’s ‘cause I was!” He breathes out with a laugh. “But then I realized some stuff and I guess things aren’t always what they seem.”</p><p>Anna scoffs. That’s as much of a motto for the whole shaman culture as any. Still, his words don’t reassure her in the least.</p><p>“I hope this <em>stuff</em> you realized wasn’t influenced on you by your irritating brother.”</p><p>Yoh snickers and angles his body in her direction. Anna clenches her fingers tighter around her forearms. So close he is after so long that she wants to touch him and see if he’s real or if Hao is playing with her mind.</p><p>“Don’t worry, it wasn’t.”</p><p>“I really want to believe you, Yoh. But you don’t give me many reasons to.” Anna trails her gaze on the illuminated buildings in the distance so she won’t have to look at him.</p><p>Incredibly, he groans, which destroys whatever serious mood there ever was.</p><p>“This again? I’m not being influenced by Hao.” Yoh lets his head fall back and he studies the starry sky for a long minute. “I thought we were past this.”</p><p>Anna all but balks.</p><p>“We won’t be <em>past this</em> until I get something more than ‘stuff’ and ‘trust me’ and ‘please believe in me’. This is not a soap opera, you know?”</p><p>“Kinda hard not to realize that. You aren’t reacting hysterically, for one.”</p><p> Anna shoots him a slicing glare. “Do you wish me to be?”</p><p>As if he likes flirting with a most painful treatment, Yoh only grins at her, eyes dancing with mirth. And then, to make the situation even more unbelievable, he leans down and rests his head in her lap.</p><p>Anna looks on dumbly, so out of her depth by the sudden string of incredible stunts Yoh keeps pulling with her that she still hasn’t developed a good reaction time. When did Yoh even find the backbone to do stuff like this so confidently? And with her, to boot. As if he isn’t aware that Anna could swat him like a fly if she wanted to.</p><p>The only pertinent explanation she can come up with is that his stupid, socially stunted brother had a hand in Yoh suddenly developing such enduring confidence that he is comfortable doing things like these.</p><p>He must be counting on her surprised stupor to slow her down, but he should be more wary of her now that he surprised her twice before. And yet Anna stands still like an idiot and watches Yoh watch her with a small smile. His arms are crossed over his chest and the rest of his body fills the bench and dangles off from his calves.</p><p>“I think you’re great exactly like you are.” His words aren’t more than a whisper as he looks at her.</p><p>Anna wants to say something deep and meaningful, but the thought escapes her. Instead, her eyes narrow on the cocky bastard.</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing Yoh?”</p><p>Yoh lets out a pitiful yowl from her hit, but he does not relocate his sorry ass elsewhere.</p><p>“Just,” he winces, “wanted. To be. Nice.”</p><p>“I’m sorry that I didn’t realize that. Is making me a pillow also supposed to be a compliment?”</p><p>“Aw, c’mon Anna! I’m tired.” His complaint falls on deaf ears.</p><p>Anna huffs, though he’s heavy enough to make forcefully moving him a pain in the ass. So she resolves to wait, leaning her back on the wooden seat.</p><p>All the while, Yoh studies her closely.</p><p>“I can leave if you want to go back to sleep.”</p><p>Anna isn’t sure that she will be able to after this impromptu meeting. Sometimes she hates him for disrupting her general state of being enough to bring everything upside down.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I will kick you off me when I want to return to my room.”</p><p>His smile widens and he closes his eyes with a contented sigh.</p><p>Anna keeps herself occupied by looking anywhere else but in his direction.</p><p>Only when she is entirely sure that he fell asleep does she slip her hand through his hair. It’s longer than she remembers, but Anna doubts that getting a haircut is on top of the list for Yoh at the moment.</p><p>These last few months have been a nightmare, but her gut tells her that she will have to do a bit more waiting and she hates it. Anna’s never been good at practicing patience and waiting around twiddling her fingers.</p><p>But in this instance, there is literally nothing else for her to do, not when Yoh refuses to tell her anything. Not when he refuses to direct her in any way, so she could at least support them while they deal with Hao. Or whatever they are doing in the maniac’s camp right now.</p><p>With a sigh, Anna closes her eyes and breathes the sharp stinging air of the desert night.</p><p>“How long until you come back, Yoh?”</p><p>But he never answers that question.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Ecologically speaking,</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>Tamao saw something. She is sure of that.</p><p>Last night, sleep was hard to catch, and her eyesight was more than blurry when her sleep-addled brain registered movement inside the room a long time after Anna had left.</p><p>At first, the girl thought it was just Anna returning to bed, but when her eyes cracked open, Tamao found herself looking at someone who was certainly not the girl.</p><p>Whatever short connections she managed to make before sleep claimed her, Tamao is now convinced that there was a person clad in a pair of green-black jeans and a white t-shirt. It also looked increasingly male, so it couldn’t have been Anna simply dressed in another attire.</p><p>That look, coupled with the fact that he was kind of bent over Anna’s bed gives Tamao enough clues as to the identity of said person. The only problem is that she doesn’t know how to approach the subject.</p><p>“Uhmm, Anna?”</p><p>Anna barely affords her a glance. Dressed in her usual black dress and red scarf around her neck, she is the epitome of composure. Well, she would be, if the black circles under her eyes weren’t so prominent on her visage. Which makes it kind of obvious that she didn’t sleep much last night.</p><p>“Well? What do you want, Tamao?” Anna urges when the shy girl fails to expose her thoughts.</p><p>Tamao only has to take one look at the full table they are currently at – because apparently, Sharona won a small fortune at the village’s casino yesterday – and around the full restaurant to help her make up her mind.</p><p>“D-Do you think the e-eggs and peanut butter collection jam special recipe menu is any good?”</p><p>Because, at the end of the day, Tamao can hardly look at Yoh Asakura, let alone ask about him. To his fiancé. In front of basically one-tenth of the neighborhood and their friends.</p><p>Tamao might have a crush on Yoh, but she certainly does not have a death wish. She knows that Anna tolerates her feelings for her fiancé because things in their relationship are pretty much set in stone on both sides of the couple, so there is no need to hound other people for an innocent admiration when nothing more can come out of it.</p><p>Tamao is also aware of that fact and she is grateful to Anna that she can treat the situation so maturely because it gives her the chance to become friends with the scary itako as well. She is another person who Tamao honestly admires, especially because she was Kino’s student before her.</p><p>“I doubt it, but I didn’t have the chance to try it. Either way, the name is strange and I wouldn’t trust any of these ‘special recipe’ menus the Patch chefs try to force-feed us.” Anna says all this without an ounce of emotion, though her eyes are closed and Tamao wonders if maybe the other girl is trying to catch a few wisps of sleep in the meantime.</p><p>“That is entirely untrue!”</p><p>Silva is back in an apron again and looks pertinently offended at Anna’s words. He shoots Anna a small, ineffective glare before he turns to the other patrons around the table and smiles his best customer-service smile.</p><p>“We serve the eggs and peanut butter collection jam special recipe menu at a special price right now because it’s Happy Hour. It will be thirty percent off its normal price <em>and</em> it comes with a free soda drink of your choosing!”</p><p>The slightly twisted expression on Silva’s face warns that she should choose wisely, so Tamao yelps and hides behind the plastic menu.</p><p>“You seem tired, Anna.” The Patch official observes, now back to his more demure self.</p><p>“I am simply not used to sitting around and doing nothing.” The girl answers offhandedly, but Silva’s gaze seems to sharpen.</p><p>“Any word from <em>the other front</em>?”</p><p>Most activity at the table ceases. By now, most of them know who <em>the other front</em> actually means.</p><p>“Nothing at all. What about you?”</p><p>Silva’s mouth puckers.</p><p>“None, despite our best efforts.” The man says, a touch bitter.</p><p>Anna exhales, like she expected such a thing to happen.</p><p>Tamao catches herself in the act of opening her mouth and she resolutely shuts it as she fixes her gaze to the table’s surface. She is unsure why Anna would lie to Silva, and the fact that it seems so effortless is no small feat, but despite her reservations, Tamao resolves to keep silent and trust that Anna is doing the right thing. Maybe there is a solid reason for her saying nothing about the fact that she met up with Yoh.</p><p>“We should keep our ears open and our eyes peeled, either way. Something is fishy around the council’s chambers these days.” Silva trails off uncertainly, though he seems more worried about what the reason for that might be than the fact that he is speaking it out loud in a café.</p><p>“We will leave that to you. And in case something does come up with Yoh and the others, I will inform you.” Anna finishes the conversation by slamming her own menu on the table with resolute finality. “Bring me a green tea and a boxer menu set.”</p><p>Tamao’s brain struggles to take in the sudden turn of conversation, so she is therefore caught by surprise when Silva turns to her and asks what she wants to order.</p><p>With a pitiful yelp, Tamao searches desperately inside her mind for a name, a menu, <em>anything</em>.</p><p>“T-The eggs and peanut butter please…”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>They are back in the street under the scorching midday sun when Manta trips over his feet again.</p><p>Anna watches the little man despondently rise up, fix his backpack and continue on unruffled and without worrying too much about who saw him and who did not. Which is, decidedly, a non-Manta thing to do. But then again, Anna should give the boy the benefit of the doubt that maybe, during these few months, Manta has evolved a bit from that insecure shorty to someone with a little more self-confidence, though definitely just as short.</p><p>“So,” Manta drawls the beginning of his question long enough to become irritating, “does anyone know where the arena is?”</p><p>Anna never even considered the fact that none of the others would be prepared with directions and she’s just about to yell at them because no one is answering and everyone is sweating.</p><p>Surprisingly, Pai Long turns around from his conversation with Jun to point in a slightly skewed direction from the one they’ve been going in.</p><p>“I think that the Forest Wonderland arena is that way.”</p><p>Pirika scoffs not at him, but at the corny name. It is Anna who speaks though.</p><p>“I swear that these idiots have the worst names for everything.”</p><p>Jun giggles, more amused than anything.</p><p>Manta wipes the bead of sweat on the side of his face and chuckles a little nervously.</p><p>“I think it’s a little better than Slippery Sand arena.”</p><p>“Or Grand Dios arena.” Pai Long adds with a smile.</p><p>Only Anna scowls, as if the naming process of the Patch officials is personally offending to her.</p><p>“Maybe we can make a petition to change it-“ Whatever idea Manta has, it disappears as soon as the entrance springs into view.</p><p>The forest opens up into a large clearing and the group blinks in surprise when the scenery becomes familiar.</p><p>“Hey! This is the same place we met Yoh and the guys in!” Manta points out a little uselessly since everyone not dumb can realize that.</p><p>“It is!” Pirika breathes out, eyes darting left and right.</p><p>There is a crowd of people already gathered around the large clearing in small groups and many are in the middle of picnics.</p><p>“Who knew we could make a day out of it?” Anna asks drily as she looks around the place.</p><p>The arena sports the lake right in the middle of it and Kalim waits near its shore, patient but tense.</p><p>“Let’s sit over there, should we?” Jun guides them to an open spot, at an angle where the whole battlefield is visible.</p><p>Manta is about to sit down when a high-pitched giggle cuts through the constant buzz of the other spectators. His head snaps to the side and comes face to face with the largest spider he’s ever seen in his life.</p><p>With an undignified scream, Manta falls on his butt, eyes wide and index finger shaking as he points at the creature.</p><p>“Hm, what’s going on here?” Sharona’s voice is unmistakable and now that Manta is less scared to death, he sees all the Lees gathered in a circle behind the spider.</p><p>Suddenly, the creature that scared him transforms back into Emla and she flies back in her pipe with a giggle.</p><p>“My apologies for her, short boy.” Sharona shakes the pipe with an apologetic look on her face. “Emla is easily distracted these days.”</p><p>“Would you look at that? I thought we got rid of you when we left the restaurant.” Anna’s words cut with vivacious ferocity and most of the Lees hang their heads despondently.</p><p>“Well, you didn’t.” Ellie smirks and Milly sticks her tongue out at them.</p><p>“I-It’s good to see you.” Manta at least has the decency to raise his hand in greeting, despite the fact that his knees are still shaking.</p><p>“Please take your seats!” Kalim’s voice booms over the forest. “From this moment on, all movement for non-combatants is restricted. To ensure your safety, please keep your seats near the line of trees and don’t wander further out than where the shadow of your nearest tree ends.”</p><p>“Guys,” Pirika speaks out, in a tone of voice so unlike her, it gets everyone's attention. Her gaze is as icy as any of Horo’s attacks when she juts her chin out, “heads up.”</p><p>Manta looks in said direction and jolts when he sees who Pirika is pointing to.</p><p>There is a large congregation of Hao’s followers, trumped of course, by the boy himself. They sit diagonally opposed to their position, but they are easy to spot since the group is comprised of such colorful characters.</p><p>The three girls who attacked the boys months ago are there, as well as some others they only know because of the matches they attended. And in the middle of the bunch sits Hao, cross legged and with a smirk on his face as he looks out over the arena. Next to him, Yoh reclines on the bark of the nearest tree, a dreamy expression on his face that places him further along snoozing than reality.</p><p>Delighted, Manta also spots Ryu and Faust through the numerous people blocking their view of Hao and Yoh, but the fact is right there in front of their faces. Glaringly.</p><p>Pai Long scoffs, disdain evident in his voice when he says. “Went out on a little trip.”</p><p>“I think we should rule out the possibility that the boys are still considered untrustworthy.” Jun says, eyes narrowed on their targets. “It is obvious that Hao is here to have a good time and nothing more.”</p><p>Tamao can only nod along, hands clenched in front of her chest and dread filling her veins.</p><p>“There was no question that such a thing would happen.” Anna speaks out for the first time in a while and when Manta’s eyes find her, the girl looks as impassive as when discussing any other trivialities. Her eyes are fixed on the twin boys though, and Manta has known her for long enough to realize that behind the emotionless façade, a lot of stuff is going on inside Anna’s mind. “The fact that Yoh and the boys are widely accepted as part of Hao’s team is good. It means that they are one step closer to accomplishing whatever it is that they set out to do.”</p><p>Pirika reverts her eyes to the ground with a heavy sigh.</p><p>On the opposite side of the spectrum, Jun is merciless and her sharp gaze shoots daggers that are prepared to cut deep.</p><p>“You speak with a lot of conviction for someone who doesn’t know what Yoh and the others are planning to do.”</p><p>Her observation falls flat with Anna. The blonde girl shoots Jun an unimpressed glare.</p><p>“I, for one, have trust in Yoh and his abilities to handle himself. Can’t seem to be able to say the same thing about you, Jun.” Anna’s lips curl into the shadow of a sneer that raises all kinds of alarms in Manta’s head. “Don’t you trust your brother?”</p><p>The suffocating tension left in Anna’s wake quickly disperses when Jun throws her head back and laughs.</p><p>“Alright, so it is not a good day to bring up sore subjects.”</p><p>“I don’t think any day is a good day for that.” Tamao murmurs and Manta wholeheartedly agrees.</p><p>Further discussion is shelved when Kalim calls forth the competitors. Unseen before, team Ren now steps forward, much to Pirika’s delight. Jun’s eyes glitter with unspoken relief and Manta looks on curiously along with Tamao and Pai Long as their opponents take center stage.</p><p>The trio is unremarkable at first sight – three teenage boys with freckles, pimples and an attitude. They grin mischievously at team Ren as Kalim explains the usual rules for the fight.</p><p>“They look kind of dorky, don’t you think?” Ellie’s question drifts to their ears and now that Manta sees it, he can’t unsee it anymore.</p><p>True to her words, the boys do look kind of dorky – dorkier than even Manta is. At least he has no round thick glasses on his nose like one of them. The other two don’t wear glasses but they either have a strange hairstyle or incredibly thick eyebrows that brings them firmly into a circle of dorkiness when combined with the clothes they wear.</p><p>“They do, don’t they?” Pirika giggles behind her hand.</p><p>Manta feels a little bad that he is laughing at the poor kids, but then he remembers that this is a match and his allegiance is still to team Ren, even if the guys’ allegiance isn’t with them anymore. So he is free to think as he pleases while the match is on.</p><p>As if summoned by his stray thoughts, Kalim raises his arm and signals for the start of the match between team Ren and team Vicious Green.</p><p>Team Vicious Green, whose name is pretty descriptive but confusing, springs into action without a second thought. As per usual, Chocolove appears behind them, but the one in the middle turns and deflects his attack.</p><p>Manta whips out his trusty binoculars, ready to see the action more closely. Immediately, he aligns with Choco’s form, thrown a little way back from his three opponents. His eyes glimmer with interest as he looks them over. Manta supposes that the monotonous funk team Ren was stuck in until now has been lifted and the guys are more than ready to fight for real.</p><p>The teams spread further away, almost as if pairing up to fight. Team Green seems to aim to encompass a wider area of the battlefield while Ren and Horo remain steadily in their places, watching.</p><p>Until now, no one save for Choco used spirit control.</p><p>“You were very unlucky to be given this arena!” The boy with the glasses shouts as he slams his palm on the ground along with his teammates.</p><p>
  <em>Until now. </em>
</p><p>The forest seems to heave around them and there is a large groan of splintering wood. Many more trees erupt out of the unmarred ground, forcing team Ren on the defensive. But as fast as the trees appear, they disappear and leave behind three shamans holding twigs in their hands and spirit control over them.</p><p>Manta’s jaw hangs open at the notion that those three just controlled the whole forest.</p><p>“Spirits of the forest then?” Pirika asks with interest. “Possibly the trees.”</p><p>“Most likely.” Anna agrees. “At first, they looked like a more evolved form of the small forest spirits Yohmei uses, but now I think they are something else entirely.”</p><p>“You alive, Choco?” Horo’s voice washes over the clearing once the dust has settled.</p><p>He and Ren are still in their spots, now marked with rather large craters, but Choco is just pulling himself out of the wreckage of upturned ground and wooden pikes.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m great. Everything’s amazing!” The boy coughs and rubs at his sensible nose.</p><p>Manta spots Horo’s shoulders relax now that Choco’s status has been confirmed.</p><p>“Not for long, we think!” The boy with the thick eyebrows snickers as he and his friends raise their twigs and launch an impressive array of wooden spikes. They home in on their targets like missiles and Manta bites back a scream at the sight.</p><p>“I think a day surrounded by nature will do you guys good.”</p><p>Dead center, near the lip of the lake, team Green has assembled again, watching over the destruction with a critical eye.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“They do seem to be in a pinch.” Hao observes, for once watching a fight that proves to be more interesting than he has expected. “What will they do now, I wonder?”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that Ren is going to get mad and then Horo won’t want to fall behind so they will go big and attack together.” Yoh pauses as his mind accounts for the last member of the team. He grins. “And then Choco will join in because he’s the biggest team player <em>ever</em>!”</p><p>Hao shoots an unimpressed look at his brother before he turns back, just as team Ren emerges from the devastation.</p><p>“Alright, that’s it-!”</p><p>“Ren,” Horo interrupts him, knowing where the boy’s incensed declaration is going, “we’re not doing that, remember?”</p><p>The spike on Ren’s head grows exponentially longer and the grip on his sword tighter.</p><p>“The only thing I remember agreeing to is not being target practice for flying trees!”</p><p>Ren cuts down a stray attack that was, indubitably, a flying tree. His scowl is the most palpable thing in a ten feet radius.</p><p>“You should come up with a good plan, Horo, because I am losing my patience.”</p><p>“Remember we promised not to go big, Ren.” Choco lands near them, panting. Cuts and bruises pepper his skin, but he is otherwise unharmed. Somehow, he still finds it in himself to launch a joke. “We have to go back to our <em>roots</em>!”</p><p>The boy dangles the physical example for the world to see.</p><p>Ren digresses with a heavyset glare that makes Choco cower slightly in response.</p><p>“Not the time, dude.” Horo’s grin is strained at the edges. “But you are right, so let’s get to it!”</p><p>Chocolove stands up straight and flexes his fingers as he speaks.</p><p>“They keep saying how they have home field advantage. I say we show them who’s the highest tree in the forest!”</p><p>The expression that comes over Ren’s face puts team Green immediately on guard, even if they didn’t catch the whole discussion.</p><p>The boy who sports a strange hairstyle leans towards them and taunts through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Give it your best, <em>kids</em>.”</p><p>And for Manta, the image is slightly askew because team Green is tense, but they are also incredibly sure of themselves.</p><p>“As for us,” the twigs burn with furyoku again and this time Manta thinks he spots three green figures behind them, “it is high time we teach you how to protect the forest!”</p><p>“Forest nymphs.” Anna’s voice snaps Manta’s concentration with a bang. He turns to her with confusion.</p><p>“Those exist?”</p><p>“They are very rare,” surprisingly, Pirika ventures into the conversation. Her brows are furrowed as she watches team Ren take fighting stances, “but less so than the Minutians these days.”</p><p>“There is a lot of power to be exploited in such spirits.” Anna’s mouth is a grim line. “I wonder if those boys can use it all.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Back on the field, Horo also leans in conspiratorially and says.</p><p>“Did that kid just say that he’s going to teach <em>me </em>how to protect the forest?”</p><p>Choco nods sagely.</p><p>“That’s unbe-<em>leaf</em>-able, Horo!”</p><p>“A waste of breath for sure. If I didn’t learn from you, I won’t learn from anyone.” Ren heralds his sword and gets spirit control going mainly to encourage their opponents to stop wasting time and attack them.</p><p>And true to form, when they see the sword transform into Bason’s guandao, team Green does not hesitate to launch another destructive volley of sharp wood.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“I wonder if they bit off more than they can chew with this match.” Hao says mildly, eyes dancing with mirth. “Those forest nymphs are certainly an interesting feature. But those three certainly don’t look like they can properly use their full powers yet.”</p><p>He chances a glance at Yoh when there is no forthcoming answer, expecting to find him dozing off. Instead, his little brother is watching the fight with a slight furrow to his brows and Hao smirks at the sight of him.</p><p>The forest arena splits open again and again as trees erupt and nature rushes in for the kill, but the process screeches to a halt so suddenly, it leaves Manta’s mind reeling.</p><p>The small ghost forest stays frozen for a moment more before it vanishes, leaving behind team Green in a complete stupor.</p><p>Horo spits out a mouthful of water and smiles, all teeth. “You guys were saying something about home field advantage?”</p><p>Ren and Choco pull up to him, water lapping at their knees as they walk.</p><p>Manta blinks once, then twice at the crazy image, but somehow the water from the lake has extended until it touches everything under the sun. That is to say, the place in the shadows where Manta and the other spectators are, has been spared from drowning.</p><p>The short boy inspects the seemingly innocent liquid as it sways like any normal watery surface, but it seems caught in an invisible bowl that keeps it going where Horo wants.</p><p>“Such a useless power you three have.” Ren’s comment is biting but Manta thinks it aims for something more than just good old taunting. “Now that your medium is unavailable, you have no way of using your guardian spirits.”</p><p>Thick eyebrows is sweating, but he still holds onto his confidence. “That’s what you might think!”</p><p>The boys direct all their furyoku into the twigs they hold onto. The slim pieces of wood expand until they become three giant and beautiful nymphs with green skin and dark green hair, armed to the teeth with an array of wooden weapons.</p><p>“There you have it.” Ren huffs, pleased with the outcome.</p><p>“Can we say that we have a whole <em>patch of trees</em> to take care of out there?” Choco wiggles his eyebrow and plays with his googles.</p><p>“No, we can't.”</p><p>A miniature tsunami heaves up and washes over him, leaving the boy drenched and shocked, though that feeling wears off soon enough and it has the comedian sending curses in Horo’s equally drenched direction.</p><p>“Playtime’s over.” Ren announces rather abruptly, which brings Choco to mutter something along the lines of “We weren’t playing, Ren.”</p><p>But something else seems to pass over team Ren then, a kind of wordless understanding of what they need to do. With no small amount of surprise, Manta realizes that the boys have a plan of action, which brings his inner excitement running.</p><p>The three nymphs move through the water, causing bigger and bigger waves. Their steps are large, but they are well coordinated and they are on the path of attack.</p><p>Horo takes a measuring glance at them as Kororo slips into the icupasuy.</p><p>“Watch out, guys, we have <em>tree</em> nymphs incoming.”</p><p>“No fair, Horo, that was my joke man!”</p><p>The boys split up and charge in opposite directions. For a hot second, it looks like Choco is resolute in going around the enemy. But it turns out that his aim was to get to the other side of the battlefield.</p><p>Manta closes his eyes as a powerful gust of wind all but takes him flying into the sky. He grips his backpack in a mad scramble not to be picked up before a large hand lands on his shoulder to ground him.</p><p>“Thanks, Pai Long!”</p><p>“Look at that!” Pirika exclaims, hands over her mouth. “It looks like they are trying to unbalance them.”</p><p>Manta turns back in time to catch another powerful gust of wind to the face, but this time blowing in the opposite direction. He blinks against the onslaught of wind and debris and sees that the nymphs have also stopped in their tracks because both Ren and Chocolove launch coordinated attacks that render moving against them useless.</p><p>“We’ve got another elemental fight on our hands.” Anna observes tersely and Manta’s heart clenches.</p><p>It’s not that he hates elemental fights, but he doesn’t exactly enjoy watching them, considering the devastating impact of the attacks. And most of all, it reminds Manta of the fact that the guys are in Hao’s camp now, fighting by his rules and with his techniques.</p><p>Horo lands somewhere in the middle of the wind field, too close to the nymphs for Pirika and Manta to be entirely comfortable with. He aims the icupasuy at each giant spirit and the large body of water they are currently waddling through rises up to wrap around their necks. When the icupasuy touches the surface of the water, the liquid freezes solid, casting them in a cage of ice.</p><p>Team Green looks on, powerless to stop the sudden onslaught.</p><p>The wind stops blowing long enough to offer a slight respite, when in reality it was just the guys advancing to deal the finishing blow.</p><p>Chocolove swipes at thin air, but the attack somehow grows as it travels through said medium and successfully cuts one nymph in many smaller segments that melt away before touching the water.</p><p>One of the nymphs manages to escape out of the trap of ice and takes one leaping step towards Ren’s position.</p><p>Horo makes to go after it, but the Chinese boy stops him from wasting time.</p><p>“Leave her to me.”</p><p>The ice wielder nods tightly and turns back to the last one. His icupasuy transforms into a hammer and Horo uses the water to launch himself up high into the air. With a loud bellow, he promptly destroys the tree spirit and lands among the big chunks of falling ice on the frozen surface of the lake.</p><p>On his side, Ren avoids the large wooden arrows embedding themselves into the lake and climbs onto one such projectile to reach a higher point.</p><p>“At least it was more interesting this time.” Ren mutters under his breath before jumping upwards. He uses the air to climb higher than humanly possible and shouts. “Rapid tempo assault!”</p><p>The nymph takes some hits, but she is incredibly nimble on those giant feet of hers.</p><p>With a grunt, Ren reiterates another version of the same attack.</p><p>“Rapid air blockade!”</p><p>The motion looks the same to any onlooker, but Ren isn’t counting on Bason to hit this time. The rapid tempo assault creates air currents in between the countless spear jabs he deals. Ren takes those currents and uses them to his advantage by sending sharp spears of condensed wind in between the hits from the sword. It is an attack impossible to defend against because there is virtually no space in between to slip through and it proves as much.</p><p>Before their eyes, the last nymph falls as spirit control is disrupted and the match is finished.</p><p>“Winner – team Ren!”</p><p>Cheers arise, but they are few and far between. Manta yells in loud delight and Pirika’s eyes are moist as she watches her brother win another match. Tamao smiles sweetly, inwardly delighted that the guys won.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“The moves could use some work, but it was a good strategy.”</p><p>Yoh laughs, his earlier seriousness gone with the literal wind.</p><p>“Can’t you just admit that it was a great match?”</p><p>Hao side-eyes his brother thoughtfully. “It was a good match,” he finally relents, “but not a great one.”</p><p>“I, for one, am impressed at how short pants and the squad handled those earth nymphs.” Ryu nods to himself, studiously approving of the fight.</p><p>“Yes, they did have a good strategy.” Faust agrees warmly and turns to Ryu with a funny smile. “I guess they have us to thank for that.”</p><p>Ryu throws his head back and laughs merrily.</p><p>“Dinner is on them!”</p><p>“We were thinking of eating take-out today.” Yoh leans over so more people can hear him over Ryu’s loud comments. “You guys in?”</p><p>Most of the shamans gathered around heartily agree and a list is started so that Yoh and the others will remember everyone’s orders.</p><p>“Hey, what’s going on?” Still dripping water from his clothes, Horo sports a wide smile as he approaches the group.</p><p>“We were just discussing what you should buy us for dinner, ice cube.” Ryu teases and, rightly, Horo falters and throws him a scathing look.</p><p>“With what money, dude?! I’m broke!”</p><p>“With Ren’s money, of course!”</p><p>Faust opens his wallet then. “I can contribute-”</p><p>“And why should I give <em>you</em> my money?”</p><p>“Speaking of the devil!”</p><p>“Well, whenever Ren hears his name and the word money, his spidey-senses tingle.” Choco stops and poses dramatically. “We just <em>deforested </em>some losers!”</p><p>He gets a few chuckles, but mostly for his disheveled appearance.</p><p>“And that’s about all the jokes Choco is allowed to say today, please get out.”</p><p>“That was mean, Ren!”</p><p>Hao rolls his eyes and makes to get up and leave when his little brother is all up in his face.</p><p>“So, what do you want to eat?”</p><p>The immortal shaman grimaces.</p><p>“You know I don’t like fast-food, Yoh.”</p><p>“I <em>know</em>!” And does he, really? “But Ren’s buying so you have a lot of options. There’s a Chinese restaurant, a Thai one and I think they also have Italian!”</p><p>Hao is unimpressed with all these flavors, but he relents if only to appease Yoh.</p><p>“Get me what you get for yourself.”</p><p>“Really!?” The way Yoh’s eyes brighten, it’s like Hao told him he’s up for free burgers for the rest of his life.</p><p>“Really.”</p><p>“Awesome!”</p><p>“So who’s coming with?” Horo looks around but everyone pretends to be occupied. “Come on, you guys!” The boy stomps his foot on the ground.</p><p>“We’re going!” Yoh jumps to his feet, hands full with three pages of listings.</p><p>Ren takes one look at them and scowls. “There is no way I’m paying for all of that!”</p><p>Ryu smirks and cups a hand over his ear. “What am I hearing here? Short pants promised, but doesn’t deliver?”</p><p>Chocolove eyes the various scribbled orders with something akin to worry.</p><p>“I don’t think the Tao funds might get out in one piece, guys.” He warns.</p><p>“We’ll be seeing you back at camp!” Yoh waves as they depart, with Ren and Ryu still arguing about the money.</p><p>“I think the Tao funds will survive.” Horo waves a dismissive hand and glances over to Yoh. “Hey, Yoh? Can you do something to dry my clothes?”</p><p>Said boy takes one look at Horo and shrugs. “I can try, but you can also get out of it looking like a rotisserie chicken.”</p><p>Horo grimaces at the thought and lets the matter go.</p><p>“I’m telling you that we should be called team <em>Toast</em>! ‘Cause we just toasted them!”</p><p>“Let’s see.” Yoh shuffles through the papers and reads out. “Lana and the girls each want a custom-made salad and three shakes. Zang-Ching wants a Bangkok menu from the Indian restaurant down near the arena. Mohamed and Luchist want, <em>uhhh</em>, the <em>death wish </em>menu – hey, that’s pretty funny! <em>Ow</em>,”</p><p>Yoh nurses his nose and looks up into the sneering faces of three slightly familiar shamans.</p><p>“Hey, didn’t these guys attack us before?” Ryu points a finger as he struggles to remember.</p><p>“Many people attack us daily, I don’t keep track of them all.” Even as he says this, the way Ren’s eyes narrow is telling.</p><p>The leader’s lips fall into a scowl, but he only glares at Yoh when he says.</p><p>“We are just here to give you a friendly warning, Asakura. Your tricks and unnatural abilities won’t give you the edge you need to win this Tournament.”</p><p>Another guy pops up behind the three and mutters just high enough for the small gathering to hear. “Those who fight for Hao will never be allowed to win.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard that one before.” Horo rolls his eyes and purposefully sidesteps the blockade.</p><p>“Am I the only one who didn’t hear that version, then?” Choco asks with an uncertain smile as he hopes to make the situation cooler and less likely to blow up in their faces.</p><p>Yoh isn’t sure what he should do, but neither option seems like a good alternative. Just as he is about to nicely ask them to remove themselves from his face, Manta comes jogging up to them with a wide smile and a wave.</p><p>“Hey, Yoh! Guys!”</p><p>“Ah, if it isn’t Manta!” Ryu exclaims, delighted. “What are you doing here, little man?”</p><p>Just the sound of the familiar nickname is enough to bring an even larger smile on Manta’s face. He glances back to where Anna and the others are waiting and then looks back up.</p><p>“We were watching the match. You guys were awesome!”</p><p>Horo rubs his nose with a pleased curl of his lips.</p><p>“They were, weren’t they?” Yoh grins back, but a bad feeling prickles at the back of his mind. He senses the sneers and the covert glares and everything else the other shamans in their general vicinity are directing towards them.</p><p>Yoh and the guys can take it – have learned to take it long ago – but when he chances a look at Anna and the others, something inside of him recoils. He certainly does not want to put them on the spot and have them deal with the same thing they do, because that is exactly what Yoh wanted to avoid when he left them behind.</p><p>Yoh exchanges a meaningful look with Ren and Faust since they are the ones most likely to get it on the first try.</p><p>“Well then, it was nice seeing you, Manta!” Yoh waves cheerily at the confused boy.</p><p>“Tell the others we say hi.” Faust smiles placidly and gently shepherds Ryu towards one of the roads towards Dobi village while Ren clamps a hand on each of his teammates’ arms and drags them away.</p><p>“What was that for, Ren?” Horo rubs at the sore spot Ren’s iron tight grip left in its wake. “We were having a nice conversation.”</p><p>“And that nice conversation needed to stop.” Ren says simply, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Choco’s eyes dance from Yoh to Ren and back again.</p><p>“We shouldn’t hang out much around Manta and the others.” Yoh explains in the simplest, most obscure terms possible.</p><p>“Why not?” Ryu asks curiously.</p><p>Yoh’s face pulls into a grimace, but it is Faust who answers.</p><p>“Because they might be considered allies or friends and the other shamans will bully them like they do with us because we are on Hao’s team.”</p><p>Horo releases a sound of understanding. “So then everyone will think they are on Hao’s side too!”</p><p>Chocolove pouts but relents. “I guess it makes sense.”</p><p>“I do not like to ignore our friends, but I also do not want them to suffer the same fate we did. So we will do it like master Yoh decided.” Ryu flashes a reassuring smile that has Yoh feeling slightly better about the whole situation.</p><p>He is pretty sure that Anna will save him a good hit when they see each other again, but he cannot come to regret his decision either way. For Yoh, their safety is what he and the guys are here for in the first place.</p><p>The boy turns to his friends and chuckles.</p><p>“We have about five hundred Dobi dollars to pay!”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Master of the simplest plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>It takes all of them plus Kanna and the girls to restrain Ren from an outright killing spree. Team Hana was seemingly walking in the same direction, so Yoh calls them along and they mold surprisingly well into the group.</p><p>The trip isn’t easy, but between the nine of them, they are able to secure all the necessary bags and make the trip back without anyone breaking their backs. Ren grumbles all the way back to camp, but at least Faust secured a third of that payment so that Ren won’t have to whip out the Tao family card and drain it all in one go.</p><p>“Stupid village with stupid prices for stupid food.”</p><p>Horo and Yoh listen to Ren’s mumbling, intrigued, while they chew their respective burgers.</p><p>Hao gingerly takes one fry, inspects it carefully and only then eats it.</p><p>“Is he,” Ryu begins, slightly untethered by the sight, “going to do that with all the fries?”</p><p>Yoh takes one look at the large portion of fries and bursts out laughing. Hao shoots him a skewed look but continues on, undisturbed.</p><p>The immortal shaman joined their circle for the occasion while the rest of his followers are strewn around camp, enjoying their meals.</p><p>“Man, this burger reminds me of the burger shop on my block.” Choco’s voice is tinged with nostalgia and there is a little tear in the corner of his eye.</p><p>Shockingly devoid of a bad joke, everyone turns around to listen to his story.</p><p>“That’s right,” Yoh snaps his fingers at the revelation, ”you live in New York, right Choco?”</p><p>The comedian nods with a proud smile on his face. “And I’m telling you, it is pretty awesome. Burgers and milkshakes all around!”</p><p>Of course, Yoh’s mouth is open and his eyes shine at the wonderful mental image his friend created.</p><p>“But the burgers from Big Mom’s are the best!”</p><p>“And what makes them so amazing?” Despite the fact that Hao is mostly asking to avoid inspecting another fry and thus becoming the laughing stock of his group, he is also slightly interested in what Chocolove might have to say.</p><p>The boy is a study in contrasts if one would venture to look further underneath the surface. Hao found out pretty fast that whatever makes Chocolove tick, it also is dangerously useful to make him fall. And in spite of his various schemes, Hao was unable to get him to open up about his past, which is usually the first thing he prefers to hear after the name.</p><p>Chocolove shrugs.</p><p>“I dunno, but they taste great! The shop is pretty popular in my neighborhood and big mom is really amazing. She feeds the people who live on the streets and she employs kids with no money.” A small smile appears on his lips. “I worked there for about a year, too.”</p><p>“That sounds awesome!” Yoh is first to agree. “She must be a really great person.”</p><p>“She is!” Choco nods resolutely, immediately and determined.</p><p>Hao takes their words into consideration before he opens his mouth. “Is she a shaman, too?”</p><p>Chocolove frowns. “Nah, she’s human, but she’s like a mom to a lot of kids in the neighborhood. That’s why she’s named big mom!”</p><p>Yoh chuckles along with Chocolove.</p><p>“She sounds a lot like this old doctor who worked at my family’s clinic.” Faust adds and the conversation somehow shifts to sharing memories now. “Couldn’t have children so he adopted many over the years. Mostly troubled ones. He gave me candy whenever we met.”</p><p>“That’s nothing.” Ren scoffs, as if this is a competition. In reality though, Ren has devised a half-assed plan that might actually work, if the rest of the idiots play along, with or without knowing. “You should hear about an aunt of mine who lived near Shanxi. There was a small village near a nuclear plant and she basically died protesting against the plant by burying herself in the radioactive ground. All to save the human villagers who were sick all the time.”</p><p>“That’s actually pretty rad, Ren.” Horo’s eyes are wide at the story before a sly grin stretches over his lips. “I didn’t know that the Tao family had such nice people in their ranks!”</p><p>Ren scoffs, unamused and he can’t resist but add. “She was obviously scorned for it, don’t worry.”</p><p>“While I do think that short pants’ dedicated aunt takes the trophy for selflessness, Ryu will add his own little story about a gang of really amazing men, who certainly proved themselves over and over again.”</p><p>“The Dead Enders!” Yoh claps his hands, full of grease and salt as they are. He seems entirely giddy to talk about a gang of men running around the city on motorcycles.</p><p>“I find it incredible that he can squeeze them into any conversation.” Ren rubs at his temples, obviously not sharing Yoh’s enthusiasm.</p><p>“No way! Ryu is part of a gang?!” Choco asks with infinite delight.</p><p>“Not only am I part of one, my friend.” Ryu winks a little exaggeratedly at the general audience and shoots a lopsided grin. “I am the leader of one!”</p><p>“Yeah! Ryu was pretty awesome as a gang leader.” Yoh hypes his friend up loyally.</p><p>Ren lifts a doubtful eyebrow. “He did try to kill you a few times, but I guess that he was.”</p><p>“Stop spewing lies, short pants!” Ryu points his sword in Ren’s face with a scowl. “I did no such thing to master Yoh! Besides the first time we met in the cemetery, but that’s all in the past, no?” The man turns an imploring look in Yoh’s direction and the boy laughs and nods.</p><p>“Besides, <em>short pants</em>,” Ryu waggles his finger, “if I remember correctly, <em>I</em> stopped your little butt from killing master Yoh once as well.”</p><p>“Every one of your friends has tried to kill you before?” Hao turns to his brother with mildly more respect.</p><p>Yoh chuckles gamely. “Yeah, most of them! But the Dead Enders really saved our butts a lot of times too.”</p><p>Ryu shoots a proud thumbs up.</p><p>“Oh, they tried their best to kill you, that’s right.” Horo taunts with a knowing smirk.</p><p>“Unfortunately I did not succeed.” Ren sighs despondently. Then he turns his glower onto Horo. “Please don’t get me started on your pitiful attempt to beat him. Like a fish on land.”</p><p>“What’s that comparison supposed to be?!”</p><p>Choco does his best to restrain Horo while Yoh just laughs again.</p><p>“<em>Ugh</em>, fish,” a bead of sweat slips on the boy’s forehead at the memory, “Manta and I made our local fish shop the biggest profit because Anna kept making us redo dinner.”</p><p>“The fish trials – yeah, I remember.” Horo says jokingly. “That old man loved you, I swear.”</p><p>Yoh is aware that his friends know the story, but he offers some details for his brother’s benefit.</p><p>“He always had a few pieces of fish left on Tuesdays because Manta and I <em>always</em> came back.” Yoh rests his cheek on his palm with a small smile. “And he always refused to take our money for the bonus fish.”</p><p>“Don’t get me started on fish and fishing.” Horo begins with a chuckle. “In my region, everyone knows the people from the other neighboring villages, so you also know who has money and who doesn’t. A couple of local fishermen always made a special pack for the kids at the orphanage and I was usually in charge of delivery.”</p><p>“And how did that help them achieve their goals in life?” Hao asks with enough gravity to warrant a serious answer.</p><p>Horo reaches out to rub the back of his neck, stalling for an answer that feels just out of reach.</p><p>“It… didn’t?”</p><p>Ryu straightens his back and clears his throat, successfully attracting the attention onto himself.</p><p>“Master Hao,” because at some point or the other, Ryu has started to associate Hao more and more with master Yoh. He’s been seeing the obvious brotherly affection his young master has for his twin and it feels to Ryu like something to be treasured. He wants to help Yoh achieve what he came here for and if they succeed, then the world will be a little better off and things will be a little more at peace, “there is one thing that you must understand about humans that has been escaping you. I’ve seen you do the same mistake over and over again and I feel like it is my duty to point it out.”</p><p>The expression on Hao’s face is smooth as he steadily urges. “And that is?”</p><p>His friends are watching the exchange closely. Ryu feels the heavy gaze Yoh places onto him like a burning cloak, but the man is nothing if not headstrong.</p><p>“You have thrown every single human into one category.” Ryu explains simply. “The same thing that you also did with the shamans.”</p><p>“Let me ask you this.” Faust’s gaze falls to his clasped hands. “What is the difference between a weak shaman and a strong one?”</p><p>“That is simple – weak shaman are those who take this world for granted, the ones with so little ambition in their hearts. They get lost in the throngs of humans and they help kill the planet along with them. They are those who see only their own interests, which is why they ultimately lose sight of their goals and die a pitiful death. In this competition or otherwise.”</p><p>Yoh’s head draws back a little, shocked at the description and at his acid words.</p><p>“That’s as loose of a description as any.” Faust says mildly and Hao frowns. “For all I know, that could be any of us.”</p><p>“Things are hardly so black and white in this world.” Ryu intervenes, ready to get back on track. “You just heard about a lot of humans who do more good than bad.” The man gently reminds him. “You’ve placed the humans in one big category, but the truth is that there are many categories out there, my friend.”</p><p>“Good humans, bad humans, those aren’t the right categories.” Horo’s mouth curves into a smile. “Just like there aren’t any good shamans and bad shamans, you know?”</p><p>“You should try the kind humans, stubborn humans and hurt humans categories. They are more encompassing.” Choco ventures into the conversation.</p><p>Hao frowns. “What do those even mean?”</p><p>“It means that humans are as complex as shamans, master Hao.” Ryu’s gaze falls onto the crackling fire at their feet. “Humans shun what they do not understand, but if you give them the time and the effort to get them to understand, they will learn and grow. They constantly do that, every day of their lives.”</p><p>“Just like shamans.” Ren interrupts. “Even if we can see more of this world than humans do, there are still many, many things we do not know either.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Horo nods resolutely. “There are always gonna be bad humans, ‘cause that’s a given, just as there are going to be bad shamans.”</p><p>“Point is,” Yoh concludes as he meets his brother’s stern gaze, “you can’t just put everyone in a category and expect them to stay there. Take Ryu for example – he was a human and then he was a shaman!”</p><p>“You never know what life might bring you.” Said man offers a supportive thumb up. “The open road is the only constant out there.”</p><p>“Plus, it’s pretty boring doing categories.” Horo’s cheek falls into his open palm. A cheeky grin stretches over his face. “But I think we can all agree that Ren has his own category, yes?”</p><p>Before the Chinese boy could blink, Chocolove was behind him with a tall blue panel filled with different squares displaying various amounts of dollars on them. The comedian sticks the panel right before Ren and does his best presenter’s voice. “Now gather around and let’s play Tao Jeopardy!” One panel opens to reveal Ren’s surprised face.</p><p>It only takes one second of silence before all hell breaks loose.</p><p>Yoh stays back with his brother while the rest of his friends run for their lives with Horo and Choco in the lead. An irate Ren screams after them with many expletives, Bason already in the middle of giant spirit control transformation. Ryu and Faust struggle to keep the collateral damage to a minimum.</p><p>“They are spirited, that is for sure.” Hao shakes his head slightly as he watches the rambunctious group depart.</p><p>“That’s part of their charm.” Yoh chuckles good-naturedly before his eyes turn serious. “Do you want me to leave you alone?”</p><p>Hao takes a moment to consider his offer before shaking his head. “There are more things I want to ask you.”</p><p>His little brother blinks for a moment before he nods slowly and waits in silence for Hao to begin.</p><p>The immortal shaman chances a glance at the sky, but he only finds rock where galaxies are supposed to be.</p><p>“Hao?” Yoh prods gently.</p><p>“Sorry,” though he’s not really sure what he is sorry for, “I was just wondering when I became so tethered to this earth that I forgot what the universe looks like.”</p><p>His little brother blinks owlishly. “You know what the <em>universe</em> looks like?”</p><p>Hao snorts. Leave it to Yoh to consider the practical part of things.</p><p>“Of course. It looks like the back of your head.”</p><p>“What’s <em>that</em> supposed to mean?” Yoh breathes out with a laugh.</p><p>Hao curls in on himself, an ingrained reflex from a thousand years ago that never really went away. He bites his thumb, gaze fixed on the curling flames at his feet. So much power, so many destinies and yet only one fate deciding it all.</p><p>“It means that you can do whatever you put your mind to, Yoh.”</p><p>“That’s one thing I can agree with.” His little brother shoots him a wide grin that, Hao dares to imagine, would have been an integral part of a very different childhood. “Anyone can achieve what they set out to do. You just gotta never give up.”</p><p>Would he have been able to grow up with his brother and not destroy him in the process? Could Yoh have been converted to Hao’s mindset in that case, or would he have been just as he is now?</p><p>“Which is why I will be able to do what I set out to.” Yoh’s sleazy grin has Hao rolling his eyes. “I promise you that.”</p><p>His little brother’s eyes gleam. It makes Hao close his mouth and bite his tongue.</p><p>A hazy silence fills their ears before Yoh gathers the courage to speak out whatever he’s been munching over in the last two minutes.</p><p>“Promise me something?”</p><p>Hao is tempted to refuse but his brother’s pleading voice and the expression on his face makes something in his chest squeeze quite unnaturally, so he agrees just to get it to stop.</p><p>“Promise me you’ll stop hurting people.”</p><p>“Fine Yoh, you win. I promise you that.”</p><p>Yoh’s grin is enough to light up another fire.</p><p>Hao looks down abruptly. “What were your favorite childhood games?” he asks bluntly.</p><p>Yoh is thrown off balance and stays mute, until he realizes that Hao is waiting for his answer. Which means that it was a legitimate question on his brother’s part and his heart swells up.</p><p>The rest is history. Yoh’s history.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Please Anna, you are the only one who can find them.”</em>
</p><p>Anna glares at the two sentries that stand in her way. She has poured all of her skills and knowledge of protective barriers – and quite a lot of rightful rage – to find Hao’s camp, <em>the real one</em>. The time she wasted the whole afternoon could have been put to better use, but alas, Anna found herself with no other alternative on the matter.</p><p>And now they had the audacity to block her way. A man dressed in white whose narrowed eyes are the only visible feature on his face and a short little girl with wild hair and an orange cloak.</p><p>“I am afraid we do not allow strangers into our camp.” The man says with a strong accent. He crosses his arms, but Anna knows that his medium is in his palms and he is waiting for her to execute any wrong move.</p><p>“Then just call Yoh here. I need to talk to him right now.”</p><p>The little girl’s mouth is open, but footsteps interrupt whatever she was about to say. As if summoned by her words, Yoh walks closer with an amicable smile and a look in his eyes that Anna can easily identify as worry.</p><p>Hao follows behind, a placid expression dancing on his face that makes Anna’s toes curl and her jaw clench.</p><p>“What’s going on, Anna?”</p><p>Yoh stops just three steps away from her, hands clenched in his pockets.</p><p>“Manta was kidnapped this morning.” Anna says without preamble. “By Lyserg. Which means that it is safe to say the X-Laws got a hold of him.”</p><p>Yoh’s entire person freezes on the spot at her words. His eyes are wide and his mouth falls slightly open.</p><p>Hao, on the other hand, chuckles blithely. “I was expecting them to do something soon.”</p><p>Anna sees him glance swiftly at his twin brother and his smile curls into a predatory smirk.</p><p>“But I wasn’t expecting <em>that</em>. Bad move.”</p><p>Yoh’s lips tighten into a grim line and his expression falls between haggard and angry.</p><p>“We have to save him.” His voice is almost a whisper.</p><p>Seeing him like this – frantic and fearful for Manta’s wellbeing – is enough to bring forth a fresh wave of apprehension over her. Anna has been debating with herself all morning – and with the others for maybe more – about involving Yoh, and consequently Hao, in all of this. But two problems were blocking the way forward for their little group – one, even if they try to convince the X-Laws to let Manta go, they will never believe that they are not associated with Yoh and the others anymore, no matter how well they lie; and second, they do not have the necessary prowess to fight against the X-Laws if worst comes to worst.</p><p>Anna would rather swallow a bucketful of glass before resorting to ask Hao for help, but she thought that Yoh and the guys would want to know. Hopefully, they will go and help Manta. Because right now, Anna is uncertain if the shikigami will be enough against all those powerful guardian ghosts and she needs Yoh to deal with this.</p><p>“Yes, I suppose this is as good an opportunity as any.” Hao agrees nonchalantly. “I kept postponing this little problem with the X-Laws for long enough.”</p><p>Yoh either doesn’t seem to hear him or he outrightly ignores his brother. He turns to the little girl and crouches down to talk to her.</p><p>“Can you please find the guys and get them here, Opacho?”</p><p>Opacho awards Anna with another clipped glance before she nods and skitters away back into camp.</p><p>“Please call the others, Mohamed.” Hao orders and the man vanishes deeper into the jungle of tents.</p><p>Anna crosses her arms as she waits for Yoh to tell her something, <em>anything.</em> Her fingers dig deep into her skin and she clenches her teeth as she watches Yoh rise to his feet again and sigh.</p><p>“I will be waiting for you to say your goodbyes, Yoh.”</p><p>Anna inwardly relaxes when Hao finally makes his exit.</p><p>“Yoh.”</p><p>“I’m scared for him, Anna.” Yoh looks up into a sky that is not there. Anna thinks she sees him grimace. “Who knows what they are doing to him?”</p><p>“Which is why you are leaving at once.” If Anna’s stern voice doesn’t rouse him from his mini-depressive episode, her next hit will. “Pull yourself together and save Manta!”</p><p>His spine goes rigid for a moment before he relaxes and turns a strained grin in her direction.</p><p>“Yeah, you bet!”</p><p>“We’re here!” Horo calls loudly and Anna’s ears are filled with the trooping of a horde of hippos. “What’s going on, Yoh?”</p><p>When he sees her, Horo’s hands go into his hair.</p><p>“Please tell me nothing bad happened!” He exclaims fearfully.</p><p>Anna shoots him a glare just because.</p><p>“Master Yoh?” Ryu prompts when Yoh remains decidedly silent.</p><p>“The X-Laws kidnapped Manta.” The boy informs his friends somberly.</p><p>Immediately, the energy of the group changes. Whatever good humor was there before is gone, replaced by sober expressions and tight sets of shoulders.</p><p>Ryu is the first one to break out of his stupor.</p><p>“Don’t worry, miss Anna. We will save Manta!”</p><p>Anna nods sharply and turns on her heels. “For your sakes, I hope so. Good luck.”</p><p>The last thing she sees of them is Yoh’s face. He wants to wear a reassuring expression but Anna has known him for long enough. He is scared for Manta, but also certain that they will be able to save him. Anna is quite sure that the boys will do everything in their power to make that happen.</p><p>Which is why, with a heavy heart, she walks away.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“They’ve been struggling to open the Babylon gate for a while now.” Hao comments from atop one of the bigger rockfaces. The spirit of fire is perched on it, watching over the valley with a critical set of emerald eyes.</p><p>In the distance is a large concentration of furyoku that simply takes your breath away, veiled under the cover of a shining white circle. Yoh cannot see much beyond the protective glow of it, but he is sure that he saw a few guardian spirits that could only belong to the X-Laws.</p><p>“Stay here.”</p><p>Hao turns to his brother with an unreadable look in his eyes.</p><p>“What is the plan here, Yoh?”</p><p>His little brother has the audacity to laugh.</p><p>“We’ll try to get Manta back without a fight.”</p><p>Hao snorts with derision but Yoh ignores him.</p><p>“And if that doesn’t work?” The older brother insists, but he can read Yoh’s answer on his face before the boy opens his mouth to speak the words.</p><p>“Then you’ll have to save our butts! You guys ready?”</p><p>“Hell yeah! Let’s go get Manta back.” Horo lifts one clenched fist to the sky, showing the world that this is war.</p><p>Ren nods with a grunt and the rest of the clown brigade expresses various determined exclamations in agreement.</p><p>Hao sighs, but lets his little brother do whatever he wants. He watches over them as they run towards the X-Laws, to Jeanne, that scheming wench, and to certain doom if that gate is ever to open.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“But seriously Yoh, what’s the plan?” Choco asks when they are far enough away from Hao to be entirely certain that no one is eavesdropping.</p><p>To his despair, Yoh shrugs.</p><p>“Save Manta. Let’s see if I can talk some sense into Jeanne first.”</p><p>“I kind of doubt it.” Ren scowls as his steps widen to cover more ground faster. “The last couple of times we exchanged words, the conclusion wasn’t very stellar either.”</p><p>“Do you think that Hao will try to kill Jeanne?” Faust asks tentatively.</p><p>Yoh’s steps don’t stutter, but his words are filled with enough uncertainness to be grating.</p><p>“I’m kind of expecting him to try. But if that happens, I will stop him, don’t worry.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m not worried about that and frankly I don’t care.” Ren says nonchalantly. “I just hope that the X-Laws don’t get to open that Babylon gate thing.”</p><p>“Me too.” Ryu agrees immediately. “Master Hao didn’t make it sound much fun.”</p><p>The journey brings them right into the eye of the storm. Closer to the center, the giant spirits look like sentinels guarding the Iron maiden coffin sitting right in the middle of the circle.</p><p>Yoh looks up at the dark sky filled with doomy lightning and exhales tiredly.</p><p>“Jeanne!”</p><p>The iron maiden does not offer any notice of their presence, but Marco appears before them like the loyal soldier he is.</p><p>“Yoh,” he pushes his glasses up his nose with one finger, “and friends. I see that you’ve come to save your friend after all.”</p><p>He doesn’t even need to pinpoint Manta. The boy is already screaming his lungs out.</p><p>“Yoh! Guys, get out of here! You gotta get out!”</p><p>Yoh’s stomach tumbles to his feet, but he grins nonetheless.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Manta! We’re here to save you!”</p><p>“<em>What</em>? No, you don’t get it-!“</p><p>Yoh decides to stop listening, lest he risks letting fear overrule his common sense. And this is one fight where he will need every last weapon he possesses. He turns an uncharacteristic glare onto the X-Laws and their leader that makes Lyserg flinch, but the rest of them smirk.</p><p>“What do you want from Manta, Jeanne? He is innocent!”</p><p>“No one is an innocent,” the iron maiden finally decides to speak, “especially not when that person knowingly lets rot fester and grow.”</p><p>Yoh’s glare deepens until it is reminiscent of his brother’s preferred method of intimidation.</p><p>“And what’s that supposed to mean?!”</p><p>“It means that your days of hanging out with Hao are over.” Marco lifts his gun and points right in the middle of Yoh’s forehead. “It means that all of our sacrifices haven’t been in vain.”</p><p>“You will learn in a minute how that’s not true.” Sword already lifted in front of his face, Ren bares his teeth at the blonde man.</p><p>But Marco is unflappable.</p><p>“And you will learn much sooner than that.”</p><p>Yoh’s eyes widen when another guardian ghost materializes out of the circle, right above them. It’s the same one they saw back in the shaman village when they were ambushed by the X-Laws.</p><p>But this time the baby seems angry and ready to kick their butts, even as its master utters calmly.</p><p>“Do it, Shamash.”</p><p>Manta wails. “<em>Get out</em>!”</p><p>“Be careful!” Even as Yoh says this and lifts his own sword, ready to face whatever attack Jeanne dishes out, the world seems to waver and shrink.</p><p>It is so sudden that they are thrown off guard long enough to be captured. A golden cage tightens around them until the group is all but pressed together. Shamash lifts it up with its psychic powers and brings it right in the middle of the circle, far above Jeanne’s head.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Oh, look. They’ve been caught.”</p><p>Several people snort in unison, while others furtively exchange money that they’ve either lost or won in the ongoing bet.</p><p>“It didn’t take them very long.” Kanna places her hands on her hips while Marion shakes her head.</p><p>Matilda leans on her broom, a smirk spreading over her lips as her favorite torture subjects are lifted into the sky. “Are we saving them now, master Hao?”</p><p>Hao’s eyes narrow on the dreary landscape. He is tempted to leave his little brother to it, since Jeanne obviously wants to draw Hao out, but he is also afraid that the little witch will take the small victory and dispose of Yoh either way.</p><p>And that is just unacceptable.</p><p>“Very soon.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The coffin opens and the girl is brought forward by the trusty thick green vines that grow in the metal contraption. Jeanne’s face is blank, but her eyes are filled with tears and Yoh cannot begin to understand what is going on through her head.</p><p>“Do not fear. When the Babylon gate opens, there will be no more pain and misery. Only peace.”</p><p>“Your words don’t reassure me, lady!” Horo tries to grab onto the bars but he gets successively electrified and thrown backward.</p><p>“What does that even mean?!” Chocolove’s hands pull at his hair.</p><p>“Probably that the gate will kill us.”</p><p>Everyone looks at Faust accusingly and the doctor shrugs.</p><p>“Even if Faust’s comment did not help, at least now we have an idea of what the iron maiden considers a good time.” Ryu tries to lift the mood, but he fails as spectacularly as Choco does on any other occasion.</p><p>“She’s worse than Ren at having a good time and that’s saying a lot!”</p><p>“No one asked you, Horo. So shut up!”</p><p>Yoh clenches his eyes, hands curling into fists as the unfairness of it all washes over him. They are always the bait to bring his brother out and nothing more. Jeanne is surely planning to kill them along with Hao, but that does not make things any less irritating and Yoh cannot help but project onto them.</p><p>On the ridiculousness of it all and everything in between. And shining bright in the middle of them, lies his biggest fear that his brother will come and lay waste to everything standing in his wake.</p><p>Jeanne and her X-Laws might think that they have the biggest advantage, but Yoh has come to learn that his brother has the experience of a thousand years of life and is practically prepared for anything the world can throw at him.</p><p>Hao will break away to the other side wearing a bloodshot smirk, hair wiping in the wind and without a scratch on him. In the meantime, Yoh will have to pick up the pieces and this time, he isn’t sure that he is willing to do that anymore.</p><p>This is why Hao must be stopped before the boy does something stupid that Yoh will regret and will be unable to move on from.</p><p>“Come on! We gotta get out of here!”</p><p>Even as he says this, it becomes obvious for everyone in Horo’s close quarters that hitting the cage is not a great idea.</p><p>“Watch it!”</p><p>“Don’t push, Ren!”</p><p>“This isn’t working.” Ever the voice of reason, Faust points out the obvious. “We need a new strategy.”</p><p>“Anything other than whatever Horo has been doing until now.” Ryu adds, tone filled with worry.</p><p>Horo bites back with a comment but Yoh tunes his friends out. His eyes flit from Jeanne to the rest of the X-Laws strewn around the circle. He tries to call out to Lyserg, but the boy ignores him.</p><p>He can still hear Manta shouting for them, but the sound barely carries over through the barrier.</p><p>Gritting his teeth, he turns back to his friends, but they haven’t made any progress.</p><p>“Any ideas, master Yoh?” Ryu asks hopefully.</p><p>Yoh grimaces and Choco groans, draping a clawed hand over his eyes.</p><p>“We are done for. And not in a funny way!”</p><p>“You guys seem to be having fun.”</p><p>Hao enters stage through a firestorm with a placid smile and a horde of his followers hanging onto the fire giant that is stepping in the middle of the circle. He looks up and catches his brother’s gaze. It is spelled out enough for Hao to find everything he needs to know.</p><p>“So, what is the plan now?” Hao asks just for the sake of asking and maybe to make Horo mad.</p><p>And as expected, Horo answers.</p><p>“You tell us, dude! You’re the one outside!”</p><p>Which brings Hao’s eyes down to find a little girl who is glaring at him. For all her few years, Jeanne has such an old soul that Hao is tempted to call her a reincarnation as well.</p><p>“Your objectives are transparent, Iron maiden, and I commend you for the foolhardy way you’ve been wasting your time.” Hao looks around, impressed that they got to such an advanced state of opening the Babylon gate. “Yet you will fail, as per usual.”</p><p>Jeanne steps out of her prison and the coffin melts into armor around her body. Her eyes flit from Hao to the cage, zeroing in on Yoh.</p><p>“You will be the one who will fail this time, Hao. You and <em>your</em> <em>evil</em> shall be purged from this world and peace and balance will be restored.”</p><p>There is a moment of tunnel vision, but Hao is unsure why her words bother him so much. Jeanne’s rueful comments usually slip over him like water, yet this time he frowns and his hands clench into tight fists that hurt even through the material of his gloves. The edges of his mouth curl up into a sneer.</p><p>“Big words. For a little girl.”</p><p>The spirit of fire roars and sends out a fireball big enough to envelop Jeanne whole before anyone, including the girl, has any time to react. Hao has to commend his guardian spirit – he is certainly effective and very well linked to his master’s will.</p><p>Yoh shouts out at him to stop, but it is all his brother’s fault for this happening in the first place. He went out by himself and got caught like an idiot. And then Hao needed to come and rescue his sorry behind. <em>And</em> <em>then</em> Jeanne had to open her big mouth and she consequently died.</p><p>Yes, this is all Yoh’s fault and it all started with him. Every choice Yoh has made brought them here, right in this moment.</p><p>His little brother just decided to join Hao, which meant that Hao had to tweak his plans a little bit. He started speaking and sharing ideas and Hao had to tweak his plans a little bit more.</p><p>Yoh told him stories from his childhood, about a friendless young boy who suffered because he wished to have friends so bad but was shunned by humans and yet he loved them all the more. He was so frustrated and battled with more demons than real ghosts and yet he does not hate humans, he is best friends with one.</p><p>Where said little boy was trained for the biggest task of his life which was, funnily enough, killing the brother he would have sold the shaman throne in a heartbeat to have at his side.</p><p>Those lowly Asakura clansmen should pay – <em>they should. </em>But Yoh made him promise not to hurt people who are more afraid of Hao than he should be of them. That’s when Hao realized how selfless his little brother really is.</p><p>And now to hear Jeanne call him his ‘<em>evil’</em> is enough to bring Hao onto the path of rageful vengeance because his little brother is three worlds away from evil. And now doubt sneaks into his heart because what if he touched Yoh with that evil and he-</p><p>“Hao, <em>stop</em>!”</p><p>Reality slams in along with the doors to the iron maiden’s coffin. The summoning formula stutters to a halt and the brightness of the world dims.</p><p>“No, Jeanne!” Little Lyserg’s yell is heart wrenching enough from this distance.</p><p>The heat dissipates and Hao chances a tentative look up at Yoh and what he finds stops him cold because he’s never seen that look on his brother’s face. Not even directed at him before Yoh decided to join him.</p><p>His brother’s glare could easily rival one of Hao’s worst and that’s because he’s seen it numerous times through his many years, reflected in various surfaces and painful memories.</p><p>It is a look he never wants to see directed at him, not by Yoh at least, and a heavy certainty coils in his gut. There are scarcely any more chances that Yoh is willing to give him. His patience with Hao is wearing thin. He will leave, at best, and leave Hao worse than he had ever found him. Or Yoh will decide to fight him and leave Hao on the path to certain destruction.</p><p>Either way, Hao does not want his brother to leave. Not again.</p><p>Never again.</p><p>“Take care of them.” The words fly out of his mouth without much thought, his attention still riveted to Yoh and the golden cage above as it is.</p><p>Hao directs the spirit of fire to break the cage and without enough of Jeanne’s furyoku administering it, the contraption dispels.</p><p>Yoh and his friends land on the fire giant’s outstretched palm. Horo and Choco start a miniature celebration, but Yoh moving away draws their attention and keeps it because they’ve never seen him in this state either.</p><p>The boy moves hurriedly towards Hao, every step stomping and determined. All the lines of his body are filled with fury and not even Amidamaru can attempt to calm the raging storm that is so atypical to catch a glimpse of.</p><p>“I’ve never seen master Yoh like this.” Ryu fails to whisper, and Hao wholeheartedly agrees.</p><p>“When I fought him in the first round, I thought I brought him to the furthest level his anger can take.” Faust says, eyes trailing after Yoh. “I was wrong.”</p><p>Yoh is two steps away when he opens his mouth and Hao mentally prepares himself for the onslaught. But then the iron maiden’s casket opens again, and Jeanne launches operation Babylon without anyone able to stop her.</p><p>Anger derailed for a moment, Yoh watches at Hao’s side as Shamash uses the key to open the gate and they all get sucked inside before anyone can utter another word.</p><p>The Babylon gate is an experience unlike anything Hao has ever went through, but it still proves inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.</p><p>“You and I are the only ones able to exist inside the gate.” Even as he speaks to him, Yoh draws near enough to strike him.</p><p>He doesn’t do that, even when he looks very tempted to do so.</p><p>“You promised me you’ll stop killing people!” Yoh grabs the front of his cloak angrily, uninterested that they are inside a dimension that could potentially kill them the longer they stay in there.</p><p>But if Yoh wants to fight, then so be it.</p><p>“Last time I checked, Jeanne is hardly dead.”</p><p>“She’s like eleven! And you threw a whole fireball at her!”</p><p>Hao is unphased.</p><p>“Age is irrelevant in our world, Yoh. You saw with your own eyes-”</p><p>“How many more, Hao?” Even if his voice is quiet, Yoh bows his head and it’s enough to bring Hao to a stop. “How many more are you going to kill? <em>You promised me</em>!”</p><p>“I did not <em>kill</em> her!” For the first time in a long time, Hao needs to shout back at the last person he ever wants to. He swipes an arm out. “As you can see, she was well enough to send us to <em>die</em>!”</p><p>“Spare me the bullshit!” And that is enough to make him wonder if he’s ever met the real Yoh Asakura until this moment. “You can break this shit with your little finger. But you still hurt her when you didn’t <em>need</em> to!”</p><p>Hao’s straightens his back and squares his shoulders. Somehow, he manages to disentangle Yoh’s fingers from his cloak. It’s him who takes a step forward this time and his brother one back.</p><p>“You have to stop treating your enemies like they are your friends-“</p><p>“And you have to stop treating people far beneath your level of power like entertainment-“</p><p>“Listen to me!”</p><p>Hao hates that he raises a finger to stop Yoh because he’s never done that in his life and he really feels a thousand years old, but his brother smacks his hand away without blinking.</p><p>“No, you listen to me! You have this tournament in the bag,” Hao’s heart twinges because does he, <em>really</em>, “so stop adding martyrs to the list!”</p><p>“What do you wish me to do? Invite them to coffee? Make paper airplanes with them? It’s a reason they are named <em>enemies</em>, Yoh!”</p><p>His little brother shakes his head, hands ruffling his hair beyond repair.</p><p>“There is literally no enemy you can’t dispose of! That’s no enemy, they are desperate people with a last hope. You don’t have to <em>kill</em> them all!”</p><p>Hao shoots him a flat stare that tells Yoh everything he needs to know.</p><p>“I am flattered that you think so highly of me.”</p><p>“Cut the crap, damn it! I’m trying to save your soul and you just don’t want to let me!”</p><p>Hao snorts, a forlorn kind of amusement climbing up his throat and making his voice hoarse when he says.</p><p>“You are one thousand years too late, little brother.”</p><p>Yoh walks up to him, eyes burning with resolve. “A few days ago, you told me that I can do <em>anything</em> if I put my mind to it. I will never give up on you – so why did <em>you</em> give up on yourself?”</p><p>For the first time in forever, Hao has no answer to give Yoh. Maybe because the facts are there – he has given up. He isn’t sure when, but it happened sometime along the way in his thousand years long journey.</p><p>Hao laughs, a menial task and the only one he can accomplish.</p><p>“I don’t even remember when I gave up, Yoh. Maybe it was when I fell into the deepest pit of despair one can fall in, or maybe it was later when I tried clawing my way out of it. The thing is – that it is so buried I don’t even know where to begin searching for it.”</p><p>“That’s alright, you don’t have to do it alone.” Suddenly Yoh grips his shoulders and smiles at him. “We can do that together! And if we don’t find it, you can start again.”</p><p>“It’s not that easy-“</p><p>“It <em>is</em> that easy.”</p><p>Hao frowns. “Yoh, you cannot expect me to-“</p><p>It’s Yoh’s turn to lift a finger in warning.</p><p>“Stop with that!”</p><p>The immortal shaman sighs, unwilling to put up a useless fight. He won’t win against Yoh’s stubborn idea of saving him and at this point, Hao is unsure if he wants to. Though there is still something he’d like to say, at the end of it all.</p><p>“In my defense, it was your fault this time.” Hao sits down heavily when the truth escapes him in a rush. He feels lightheaded and less troubled than five minutes ago when his little brother was walking towards him like a raging storm.</p><p>Yoh stops short at his confession and blinks in confusion.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“The little witch said some unflattering words about you that I couldn’t simply ignore.”</p><p>There is silence for three heartbeats during which Hao refuses to look at anything but the white landscape of doom surrounding them.</p><p>Finally, Yoh rests his hands on his hips and sighs.</p><p>“I don’t care what anyone says about me and you shouldn’t either.” Yoh crouches down in front of him with a tentative smile that makes Hao angrier than when Yoh was screaming at him.</p><p>“I don’t care that you don’t care, and I will care if I want to.” Hao spits out scornfully, but his brother blinks and then laughs, confused.</p><p>“What the hell was that? My brain just short-circuited.”</p><p>“So nothing unusual.” Hao cannot resist the jab nor the smirk when Yoh pokes him hard in the shoulder in retaliation.</p><p>The glare melts away soon enough. Yoh sits down on the non-existent ground and rests his chin in his palm.</p><p>“Do you want to know what grandpa used to tell me when I was training?”</p><p>Hao releases a long-suffering sigh. “Do I have to?”</p><p>“He said that I should stop reacting and start reflecting.”</p><p>Leave it to the Asakura clan to be as unclear as possible.</p><p>“And what is that supposed to mean?” Hao asks, just because he senses that his little brother is burning with the need to explain this childhood anecdote to him.</p><p>“It means that no matter what I see or what I hear, I should think first before I act.”</p><p>“Kind of useless since you still run headfirst into trouble at the first sign of it.”</p><p>But that is untrue, and Hao has seen it. Yoh can keep his calm through any volley of jeers from his enemies and this advantage gives him enough of an edge in any battle to guarantee his success.</p><p>“True!” Yoh chuckles. “You’d be surprised how often I listen to it though.” A deliberate pause and Hao can guess what is coming. “I think you should try it too. Stop reacting to every taunt and jab. Think about the big picture before you do anything.”</p><p>It is another useless promise that Hao might not keep, but he still promises because Yoh stopped screaming and he’s not threatening to leave and that’s more than Hao can hope for after the look he received not half an hour ago.</p><p>And, maybe, somewhere in his subconscious, Hao didn’t order the spirit of fire to kill Jeanne after all.</p><p>“<em>Fine</em>. Let’s get out of here, shall we?”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. He is here to fuck shit up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>The Babylon gate spits them all out in different directions. Hao must have stumbled a little when he broke it because Yoh doesn’t think that this was supposed to happen.</p><p>Yoh finds himself out in the desert, near a steep cliff, but the empty landscape doesn’t deter him and neither does Amidamaru’s fretting.</p><p>Because he found his perfect paradise.</p><p>Yoh grins and swallows the juicy watermelon in his mouth.</p><p>“Man, this is great! No Anna, no Hao – I could get used to this!”</p><p>As Yoh’s life tends to do, someone clears their throat behind him.</p><p>“I’m glad that you feel well enough to say that.”</p><p>Both Yoh and Amidamaru turn with much trepidation to face Anna’s wrath. But unfortunately for them, the shikigami jet them off the cliff before they manage to fully turn around.</p><p>“The Babylon gate was insanely powerful.” Yoh nurses his bloody nose and inwardly whines that the Babylon gate didn’t do <em>this</em> to him, at least.</p><p>“And yet you still found time to argue with your brother.” Amidamaru drifts by with a proud expression on his face that makes Anna roll her eyes. “I’m very impressed, master Yoh.”</p><p>Yoh rubs the back of his neck with an uncertain smile.</p><p>“How did you get out?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Yoh flicks a watermelon seed off his pants. “Hao destroyed it like it was nothing.”</p><p>“Though I kind of doubt that this was supposed to happen.” Amidamaru points out, chancing a glance at the landscape devoid of life.</p><p>“What are you planning to do now?”</p><p>Her tone is devoid of anything, like a flat line that neither climbs nor descends, but Yoh can hear a thousand words in between the few Anna just uttered.</p><p>“Find my brother, I guess?” His face falls when Anna’s hands tighten into fists. “Anna, you know I can’t back out <em>now</em>.”</p><p>“No, I don’t know Yoh!” And there is such a huge amount of reproach behind her simple statement that it makes Yoh’s steady confidence waver. “Until now, you haven’t told me one single thing. For all I know, you’ve been controlled by Hao this entire time.”</p><p>Yoh makes a face. “This again.”</p><p>He quickly reconsiders when Anna turns a laser-like glare in his direction. “Fine, I’m going to start talking now.”</p><p>Amidamaru keeps an eye out on the horizon as his master proceeds to tell his fiancé about his initial reasons for splitting and joining Hao and then details the rest of his progress up to date.</p><p>The samurai winces periodically when Yoh’s wording betrays him, but thankfully Anna remains tacit until the end. It’s just when Amidamaru spots a few figures running in the distance that Yoh also finishes relating his story to her.</p><p>And that is when all hell breaks loose. More specifically, Anna slaps the life out of Yoh and Amidamaru is half afraid that he will see his friend on the other side.</p><p>“How dare you take such a stupid risk?”</p><p>“But it wasn’t stupid, Anna! Look how far we’ve come-“</p><p>“Because you’ve had an insane amount of luck!” The girl snaps, at the end of her patience.</p><p>Still rubbing his abused cheek, Yoh finds the energy to protest. “That’s not true! Hao isn’t who everyone thinks he is.”</p><p>Anna is hardly deterred.</p><p>“Did he really brainwash you so bad? I can’t believe you are defending him!”</p><p>“You see?” In spite of the tense atmosphere, Yoh grins up at her. “This is why I didn’t tell you until now. You’d have thought I was crazy.”</p><p>“I still think that.”</p><p>Anna mumbles and sighs, sitting down heavily on a nearby rock. A hand rests on her forehead in what Amidamaru guesses is deep thought, but in reality, it is an insane amount of wariness.</p><p>“Why do you have to prove to me that you are a stupid idiot over and over again, Yoh?”</p><p>Yoh chuckles and leans towards her.</p><p>“You know that I like to keep you on your toes.”</p><p>Anna scoffs and bites her lip.</p><p>“When is this going to end, exactly?” She asks tentatively even as she avoids catching his gaze because Anna can take a gander at the right answer.</p><p>Yoh’s voice is so small, Amidamaru doesn’t think that he ever heard it like this.</p><p>“I don’t know.”</p><p>A shuddering breath filters out of Anna’s mouth. Yoh chances another heavy hit when he settles a comforting hand on her knee, mouth puckered.</p><p>“Do I need to keep this a secret?”</p><p>Amidamaru glances between the two masters and the group steadily closing in on their location.</p><p>Yoh deliberates on her question for all of two seconds.</p><p>“Nah, you can tell the others. Just make sure that they keep it a secret from everyone else. You guys are the only ones who should know.”</p><p>“Does Hao know? About everything.”</p><p>“Yeah, I told him first and foremost.”</p><p>Anna’s hand slips off her face to rub at her temples. “Right, of course you did.”</p><p>“Yoh! Anna!”</p><p>It is Manta who shouts, but he is accompanied by all of their friends. Ryu waves wildly and Chocolove is already on his way to irritate Ren.</p><p>“Hey, guys!” Yoh waves back with a sunny grin. “That was a crazy ride.”</p><p>“You can say that again!” Horo wholeheartedly agrees. He tries to shake his sister off his arm without success. “It was goddamn awful.”</p><p>“I hope I never have to go through that kind of thing again.” Manta complains, body half drooping from how tired he is.</p><p>“Let’s hope that we don’t, Manta!”</p><p>“That thing was a <em>ball</em> of disaster!” Choco lifts one huge watermelon over his head, but the poor fruit never had a chance.</p><p>Ren slices it with precise movements of his sword and the fruit falls in parts on Choco’s head.</p><p>“Ren, come on!”</p><p>Jun covers her mouth to stop from laughing.</p><p>“We should start making our way back.” Faust takes a glance at the sun. “It’s already late afternoon.”</p><p>“That’s right, we don’t want to be caught in the middle of nowhere when night falls.” Horo looks around uncertainly, most likely remembering such experiences from a few months ago.</p><p>“By the way,” Ren begins, shooting a subtle look in Ryu’s direction, “Ryu told us that he saw Lyserg out there somewhere.”</p><p>As expected, Ryu’s hairstyle is a droopy mess along with its wearer. “Lyserg…”</p><p>“Yeah, he was a real bastard.” Tokagero eyes his moping master. “As usual.”</p><p>Yoh is barely moved by the admission. He knows that Lyserg now has a personal vendetta against them as well, since they’ve joined up with Hao, but he kind of doubts that the boy would have been friendlier even if they didn’t. Lyserg would consider anyone but the X-Laws his enemies at this stage.</p><p>“Hm.”</p><p>Manta looks up at them hopefully. “So are you guys going back with us?”</p><p>Pirika shoots Horo a hopeful glance that has the boy shrinking under, while Jun tries her best to meet her brother’s gaze, but Ren steadily ignores both her and Pai Long’s pointed glares.</p><p>Yoh scratches his cheek in thought, but he shouldn’t have worried. It starts all the same, with the fair hairs at the back of his neck rising and something tingling at the back of his mind. Then a firestorm erupts behind them and leaves in its wake his older brother and his gathering of followers, saved from under the scorching sun.</p><p>“There you were.” And he is entirely too smug about it.</p><p>Hao lands gracefully on the ground and looks at the additional figures gathered before him. Glaring figures, the foremost who is Anna’s legendary look of doom. The boy’s smirk widens.</p><p>“And you have some new faces with you.”</p><p>The little guy who always hangs around Yoh puffs out his chest and puts on a brave face as he stands next to Hao’s brother. The immortal shaman has to commend him on keeping up appearances, though one thing does stand out.</p><p>Manta looks entirely normal, and yet he can see spirits and interact with them. That is certainly an interesting object of study, but not right now. At the moment, they need to get going because Hao has enough things cooking to warrant that closer attention should be paid to Dobi village.</p><p>His steps falter and he meets Chocolove’s gaze.</p><p>“I want to ask you to find Matilda and Opacho. They are the only ones still missing.”</p><p>The comedian’s face is doubtful as he nods carefully. “Are you sure you want Matilda back, though?”</p><p>“Yeah, I say leave her to it. She will come back eventually.” Horo grins, beaming with unadulterated joy now that the main torturer is in a pinch.</p><p>Hao would have loved that. But there are two girls glaring behind him and he also needs Matilda as a foot soldier, so the answer is a no to Horo’s suggestion. With another pointed look, Chocolove disappears with the wind and the rest of them are left looking at one another.</p><p>That is, until Kanna points accusingly to Horo. “Wait until Macchan hears that.”</p><p>Marion mumbles in agreement and Horo lifts his own tight fist in return.</p><p>“Oh, I’ll be waiting!”</p><p>“In the meantime, I suggest we start to make our way back to Dobi village.” Hao counts two people afraid of him and three furious at him, which is a good ratio. “You are of course invited along.”</p><p>There is a refusal already on the tip of Jun’s tongue when Anna cuts her off.</p><p>“Yes, thank you. We’d like a lift back to Dobi village.”</p><p>Everyone in the near vicinity turns to look at the girl in shock.</p><p>Everyone but Yoh. He simply crosses his arms behind his head and grins again.</p><p>The flight back to Dobi is filled with quiet tension, broken by various exclamations from Hao’s followers or the guys. It is quite another image from a few months ago.</p><p>Now, Ren and the others sit with Kanna and the rest while Anna, Manta and their group is relegated somewhere in the middle of the fire giant’s back. Yoh sits in the front with Hao, but the two are silent as they watch the scenery pass by.</p><p>“What was in your mind for making us go with them?” Jun whispers forcefully and Anna’s head slowly moves to look at her.</p><p>“We really needed that lift. You don’t expect us to have walked all the way back through the desert.”</p><p>“B-But with H-Hao?” Tamao yelps, not even able to glance at said boy or his twin brother.</p><p>“He did offer, you know? This is not such a big deal.” Anna frowns when Manta springs into a protest.</p><p>“But now people will really know that we are associated with Hao!”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure they already saw us as such. Look at you, Manta. The X-Laws kidnapped you because they knew that Yoh and Hao will come to your rescue.”</p><p>Manta’s gaze falls fretfully as the boy is reminded by the circumstances that brought them to be sucked into the Babylon gate in the first place.</p><p>“There is hardly any need to pretend anymore.”</p><p>“That’s unfair…” Pirika trails off and looks into the distance.</p><p>But Anna isn’t touched by anything anymore. She simply refuses to. She’s had enough of feeling weak to last her a lifetime.</p><p>“Life isn’t fair.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Please tell me that you are joking, Anna.”</p><p>But Anna shakes her head and sips her tea. Calmly and without being at war with herself like Manta and the rest of the group is.</p><p>Pai Long seems the most unaffected, but that might be because he is still not entirely convinced.</p><p>“You should take some time and think about it.” The itako suggests, but Pirika sniffles into a handkerchief and destroys the mood.</p><p>“I-I’m just so glad t-that Horo’s not brainwashed!” The young girl bursts into rightful tears.</p><p>Anna grimaces at the messy sight.</p><p>“Right, so please stop crying.”</p><p>Manta leans back in his seat with a content smile and a sigh. “Well, I never doubted them.”</p><p>“Yes, you did, Manta.” Tamao reminds the boy gently and he cringes.</p><p>“<em>Fine,</em> I won’t doubt them anymore from now on!”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>They’ve been back in town for two days and Yoh craves a cheeseburger very badly. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t much to do these days.</p><p>Ren and his team had another fight just as they returned from the Babylon gate mess and one of his brother’s teams lost, which brought about a less severe punishment than usual.</p><p>Yoh can see that his brother is making an effort to keep in mind what he said and the younger boy is glad. He’s been hounding Hao left and right, but he is out of camp most of the time nowadays and it’s… <em>unusual</em>, to say the least.</p><p>Yes, his brother would sometimes disappear for hours at a time, but not for <em>days</em>. And it makes Yoh jittery because he can just <em>smell</em> that something isn’t right.</p><p>“You should stop thinking about people so loudly.”</p><p>Promptly summoned by his thoughts, Hao appears right behind Yoh and successfully scares the living lights out of his brother. The younger boy jumps a full foot in the air before he spins to glare at his brother.</p><p>“Can’t you knock?!”</p><p>Hao glances at the log and the trees and the tents around them in wonder.</p><p>“Alright then.”</p><p>And without further ado, Hao knocks on Yoh’s forehead.</p><p>“No one’s home, just as I expected.”</p><p>Yoh crosses his arms and shoots a dirty look at his brother. “That was the worst joke ever. You and Choco should form a club.”</p><p>“Don’t place me in the same category as him.” Hao sniffs and sits down. “So what was it so important that you missed the bathroom entirely?”</p><p>“I dunno,” Yoh confesses, “I’m kind of worried about the X-Laws coming back,”</p><p>“Unlikely.”</p><p>“And about the tournament,”</p><p>“I thought we had it ‘<em>in the bag</em>’?”</p><p>“And I <em>really</em> want a cheeseburger!” Yoh finishes with a full on whine and Hao sighs.</p><p>“There it is. Go get a cheeseburger from the village.”</p><p>“But it’s <em>boring</em> to go alone!” His little brother pouts like a little kid. “Ryu and Faust have a match tomorrow and Horo and the others are doing some super secret team training with Diaz.” Then his eyes start to shine, which signifies the end of Hao’s peace and quiet. “You should come with me!”</p><p>With the realization comes a headache, and yet Hao is unwilling to refuse.</p><p>“I guess I have no choice.”</p><p>They are just about to cross camp borders when two new faces pull up to them.</p><p>“Master Hao!” Both boys bow their heads out of respect. “We have returned successful.”</p><p>Yoh eyes the Patch official uniforms with growing dread.</p><p>Hao’s mouth curves into a pleased smirk. “Good. We shall discuss more in the morning.”</p><p>“Who were those guys?” Yoh asks as soon as the camp has disappeared behind them.</p><p>“They are Nichrom and Zinc.”</p><p>“Why are Patch officials talking to you?”</p><p>“That’s a little presumptuous of you, Yoh. Isn’t Silva talking to <i>you</i>?”</p><p>Yoh scowls. “You know what I was trying to say.”</p><p>The look in Hao’s eyes is indecipherable.</p><p>“I’m afraid that I don’t.” He takes a step forward. “Now come on. I thought you wanted a burger?”</p><p>Something definitely isn’t right, but Yoh would simply irritate his brother with his questions if he insists.</p><p>No, he needs a new and better approach.</p><p>Which is why, barely a day later, Yoh is sneaking around camp, looking to ambush Nichrom and Zinc before they meet up with his brother.</p><p>He’s lucky that his tent is pretty close to Hao’s, but even with all the effort Yoh put into this grand plan of his, he misses the two by a hair. When his head pops out from behind Mohamed’s tent, the two have already departed and are speaking to his brother as he guides them towards the exit.</p><p>Hao guides them away from his tent after a short discussion and Yoh’s eyes narrow as he tries to determine what, exactly, is the possibility that he would find something incriminating if he would sneak into his brother’s tent. His mind finds it incredibly big, so Yoh takes his chances and ducks under the flap, feeling like a real ninja all the while.</p><p>Inside, Hao’s tent is a collection of old and new objects that blend strangely well together. His brother is certainly passionate about rugs because most of the space on the floor and the walls is covered by one such example, each different from the other and amazingly artistic.</p><p>Yoh tries his best to sidestep the various obstacles on the floor, hoping to make his presence unknown for as long as possible. He does not doubt that Hao will somehow sense that he’s been here, but the younger boy prays that he might be blind this time around.</p><p>Up in the back is a large desk that Yoh is surprised to find it exists. On it are thrown various maps and antiquities that make any of Yoh’s living spaces incredibly tidy by comparison. But dropped right on top of the mess, Yoh finds a slim folder with strange symbols on its worn cover.</p><p>He thumbs through it quickly, but after two whole pages he wishes that he didn’t.</p><p>“This is…” The boy’s eyes widen at the words written on the page. Something clogs his throat because it’s suddenly hard to breathe.</p><p>Yoh leaves the folder where he found it and with the last of his attention span, he navigates back to the entrance. When he is clear of Hao’s tent, Yoh breaks off into a run and doesn’t stop until he stumbles right into Chocolove.</p><p>“Are you guys alright?” Faust asks worriedly.</p><p>“I am, but what the hell was that!?” Choco looks down at Yoh’s dazed face. “Yoh! Are you okay, buddy?”</p><p>He makes to shake him, but Faust lifts a hand to stop the action. With a small frown, the doctor checks Yoh’s vitals, but finds them steady and he can see nothing wrong.</p><p>“Yoh?” He tries hopefully.</p><p>The guys are all leaning over him when Yoh finally banishes the stars from his eyes.</p><p>“Oh, it’s you guys.”</p><p>“’<em>Oh, it’s us</em>’? What’s wrong with you?” Ren’s sharp eyes narrow on his sorry form suspiciously.</p><p>“Did something happen, master Yoh?” Ryu crouches down next to him, careful to leave him enough breathing room.</p><p>Yoh jumps to his feet but realizes a second later why that idea is awful. Gritting his teeth, he grips Faust’s arm until the dizziness disappears.</p><p>“Now I know that something is going on with you.” Ren crosses his arms and the expression on his face warns Yoh that he should start talking now.</p><p>“Maybe we should let him catch his breath?” Choco lifts a balloon, but Horo pops it before any more bad jokes can be concocted.</p><p>Yoh startles at the loud sound and he frantically searches their surroundings.</p><p>“Choco, did you break him?” Horo demands when Yoh is yet to forward an answer.</p><p>“I swear it’s not my fault! He literally flew into me.” The comedian rushes to defend himself.</p><p>Yoh’s loud groan stops them all short. The boy turns imploringly at the non-existent sky and feels an overwhelming urge to bash his head against a rock.</p><p>“We are in deep trouble.”</p><p>Is the only thing he says and it springs his friends into action.</p><p>“Who needs their asses kicked?!” Horo looks left and right before he points at Ren. “I knew it was you!”</p><p>Ren tries to skewer him with his guandao, but the ice wielder dodges professionally.</p><p>“At this point, I think that it’s <em>we </em>who are going to have their asses kicked.”</p><p>At the sound of this, Ryu’s eyes narrow, but Ren is the one to speak the accusation out loud.</p><p>“What did you <em>do</em>?”</p><p>Yoh mouth twists pathetically.</p><p>“I snuck into Hao’s tent.” He begins tentatively.</p><p>“Dude, that’s not okay!”</p><p>“Why did you do that?! He’s going to find out and then we’re <em>team Toast</em> for real!” Chocolove slinks on the ground in quiet defeat.</p><p>“Are you sure that it was such a great idea, master Yoh?” Ryu inquires cautiously.</p><p>“I had to!” Yoh all but wails. “Something was fishy and now I know what.”</p><p>“And what is <em>fishy</em>?” Ren crouches down in front of Yoh, eager to hear what dirty secrets his friend dug up about his not-so-psycho brother.</p><p>Yoh looks one question away from bursting into tears. “He’s been talking to two Patch officials and I wanted to know why. I found a folder on his desk.”</p><p>“Hao has a desk?” Faust, Choco and Ryu ask at the same time.</p><p>Ren rolls his eyes while Horo asks.</p><p>“What was in the folder?”</p><p>The boy crouches on Yoh’s left side. Chocolove and Faust complete the semicircle as they lean over in the free spaces between Ryu, Ren and Horo.</p><p>“It detailed the way to the star sanctuary… among other… things.”</p><p>“WHAT!”</p><p>“Where?”</p><p>Choco receives a hit over the head for it.</p><p>“That is impossible.” Ren says grouchily.</p><p>“Forget impossible, it is illegal.” Faust intervenes, seriously worried. “We can all be disqualified for this.”</p><p>Horo blubbers something incoherent in response.</p><p>“Are you serious, Faust?!” There are tears in Choco’s eyes when the doctor nods gravely.</p><p>“Then it is true that we are in deep trouble.” Ryu concludes, ten levels calmer than the others. He turns to Yoh. “What are we going to do, master Yoh?”</p><p>At this point, all of Yoh’s energy runs out of him and he deflates pitifully, much like Choco’s poor balloon.</p><p>“I have no idea.” Because he hasn’t gotten that far into that particular thought process and his shock is still wearing off.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that the others will be ecstatic.” Horo eyes the way back to camp critically.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Faust’s question stops them short. The doctor rubs at his chin thoughtfully and expands on his idea when he feels their gazes train onto him. “Most of these people are warriors – they will want to fight, and the tournament is the ideal battlefield for them to measure their skills. If Hao marches into the star sanctuary now, there will hardly be any fights to speak of because not many would rise up to stop him.”</p><p>“So, what you are saying is that they would rather stay and fight the rest of the tournament like everyone else!” Ryu has an ‘aha!’ moment right there.</p><p>Yoh watches his friends doubtfully. “I don’t know, Faust.”</p><p>“I have an idea.” Ren straightens, but his eyes never stray from Yoh’s slumped form on the ground.</p><p>“Great, I hope it’s better than the last one.” Horo snarks and receives an elbow to the gut for his efforts.</p><p>“We will go ask them.” The Tao says simply, much to the despair of basically everyone else.</p><p>“And how do <em>you</em> think that will go, short pants?” Ryu asks dryly.</p><p>Horo is all but pulling his hair out of his head. “You are the biggest idiot on this planet!”</p><p>“I agree with Ren.” Faust shocks them for the third time that day and it’s only just midday.</p><p>Choco gapes at him. “Whuh?”</p><p>“Should I call a head doctor, Faust?”</p><p>“Listen,” Faust tries his best to convince his friends that he doesn’t need to see doctor Sunam ever again, “if we put the problem like this, surely there will be many who will oppose. But if Hao were to give the order, no one would have any chance to protest.”</p><p>“That’s actually pretty smart, Faust.” Horo breathes out.</p><p>“It was my idea!” Ren reminds him rather forcefully.</p><p>“Alright.” Yoh stands up slowly. “While you guys do that, I will try to talk Hao out of it. Maybe we still have a chance to salvage this mess.”</p><p>“Finger crossed and all.” Choco breathes out, disappointed and hopeless at this point.</p><p>Yoh finds his brother sipping from a red cup of coffee, watching the comings and goings of the camp.</p><p>“What happened now?”</p><p>The question blocks Yoh for a moment before he realizes that his brother is not mad at him. He’s simply asking curiously and now he’s watching him with concern.</p><p>Yoh clears his throat and sits down next to Hao.</p><p>He is furiously trying to find a way to breach the subject to his brother but nothing concrete materializes inside his mind. Yoh is uncertain how to approach such a big problem and handle it calmly and without inkling anyone’s spirit.</p><p>“Hao,” it is best to begin with something you know for sure, “<em>uhhh</em>, can I ask you a question?”</p><p>His brother shoots him an appraising look and Yoh imagines that he’s probably wondering if he is an impostor. Usually, Yoh would just come out and ask it, but he is still bidding for time.</p><p>“Go on.” Hao says steadily, as if his little brother isn’t in danger of erupting right next to him.</p><p>“Are you – are you planning on breaking into the star sanctuary by any chance?”</p><p>A long pause stretches over them and Yoh seriously considers the merits of bashing his head against the nearest tree. Surely, it would bring him less pain than he is in now.</p><p>But then Hao simply <em>shrugs</em> and takes another sip from his coffee.</p><p>“Can’t say that it hasn’t crossed my mind.”</p><p>The evasive answer gives nothing away. Yoh grits his teeth and tries again. </p><p>“But are you planning on breaking in <em>very soon</em>?”</p><p>“Depends on what ‘soon’ means to you.”</p><p>“Damn it, Hao! I saw that nasty, sinister folder on your desk!” Yoh snaps because at this point, it’s all he can do.</p><p>But his brother is unrepentant, unbothered and certainly asking for a beating with that twisted smirk on his lips.</p><p>“Such a rebellious gesture, little brother, spying on me.”</p><p>Yoh glares, but Hao gives no outward reaction that he sees it.</p><p>“It was kind of obvious something was going on with you and those two Patch officials. What are you planning to do?”</p><p>Hao sighs and deposits the cup by his feet. “Since you asked so nicely, I will tell you. I thought up a plan to forcefully break into the star sanctuary and capture the king of spirits.”</p><p>“That’s insane!” And kudos to Yoh for reacting calmly and maturely to this particular revelation. “You are going to get disqualified or worse!”</p><p>Hao lifts an eyebrow.</p><p>“I do remember you telling me that there is no enemy I can’t dispose of. And this tournament is proving a complete waste of my time.”</p><p>“You’ve waited a thousand years, you can wait a few more months!”</p><p>“That is exactly why I cannot wait anymore.”</p><p>Yoh stands up abruptly, not knowing where he wants to go or what he is going to do but needing to get out of Hao’s range. He keeps his head bowed and his eyes fixed on his feet as a thousand grim thoughts flitter through his head. And with them comes the bitter realization that everything he’s done until now was useless.</p><p>Worse – he <em>failed</em>.</p><p>He failed to make his brother a better person, he failed to change his mind. And now he fails to stop him.</p><p>And it is just not <em>fair</em>.</p><p>His steps stutter not very far away from where he left his brother.</p><p>“I’d have helped you become shaman king.” His voice is hazy to his ears, but he hopes it’s at least loud enough for Hao to hear. “I’d have stuck by you until the end and helped you win no matter what. But if you go through with your plan,” Yoh’s hands tighten into fists, “then I will fight you and I will stop you no matter what.”</p><p>Against his better judgement, he leaves Hao behind and walks further into camp.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It’s close to evening by the time his friends return from their own crusade.</p><p>They find Yoh sprawled on his bed, looking blankly up at the white sheet of the tent.</p><p>“Faust, <em>do</em> something!” Horo whispers loudly as he tries to make more wiggle room inside the stuffy tent.</p><p>At his bedside, Faust studies Yoh with concern.</p><p>“Yoh, can you hear me?” The doctor asks, leaning over the boy.</p><p>Yoh seems to snap out of it because he blinks and looks over each one of them in turn.</p><p>“I suppose that your talk didn’t go over that well.” Ren concludes dryly and Yoh’s face crumbles pitifully in response.</p><p>“You’ll be happy to hear that <em>our </em>talks went pretty well.” Choco grins victoriously.</p><p>Horo nods. “Yeah! Most of them saw it just like Faust said they would.”</p><p>At the small flicker of good news, Yoh manages to lift his head from the pillow, eyes shining with hope.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>Ryu flinches at his master’s voice but nods. “Yes. <em>Some</em> of the bastards were up for it,”</p><p>“Like Luchist.” Horo spits out and Faust nods gravely.</p><p>“But most of them wanted to continue with the tournament. So, we’re lucky!”</p><p>“And what did you tell them to do?” The boy lying in bed asks curiously.</p><p>“For the moment, we told them to keep their mouths shut.”</p><p>“Which they won’t do.” Ren snorts dismissively. “And that is exactly what we were aiming for.”</p><p>Ryu nods with a small smile. “Master Hao will probably have a lot on his hands.”</p><p>Yoh scrunches up his nose, thinking. It’s good that everyone in camp is of the same opinion more or less, but the biggest problem remains unresolved and it centers around his brother.</p><p>Hao will, without doubt, be the toughest nut to crack and Yoh knows that any official order from him will bring everyone to heel, no matter the fact that they are unhappy about the decision.</p><p>Because in the end, it is whether they will be part of the so-called shaman only kingdom or not. And none of them want to hinder their chances to keep that spot.</p><p>Yoh’s head falls back down on his pillow and he groans.</p><p>“Why is it so hard to change his mind?” The boy whines pitifully. “Tokagero has been dead for six hundred years and he was more open-minded!”</p><p>Said ghost appears above their heads with an indignant sniff.</p><p>“Don’t compare Tokagero with your crazy brother!” </p><p>“Honestly speaking, Yoh.” Amidamaru begins, drifting at the head of Yoh’s bed. “We all knew that it would be hard work to convince Hao of anything from the very beginning.”</p><p>“I knew that, but I didn’t know he’d be so <em>stubborn</em>!” Yoh throws his hands in the air, at the end of his rope. “I tried <em>everything</em>! I’ve never bothered someone so insistently since I was six years old!”</p><p>“I find that hard to believe.” Ren says with disdain. “But as you can see, your brother is worse at listening than you are, Yoh.”</p><p>“And that is saying a lot.” Horo adds with a tense grin.</p><p>“We cannot give up, master Ren, master Yoh.” Bason shyly materializes behind his master. “The situation is critical.”</p><p>“Bason is right, Yoh.” Amidamaru agrees immediately. “If there was ever a time your valiant and insistent efforts are needed, it is now.”</p><p>Yoh releases a pitiful sound that has Ryu tearing up at his master’s sorry state. Tokagero swats him over the head for his overemotional take on every problem they encounter.</p><p>“If you could make the biggest scoundrel and gang leader Tokagero change his mind, I’m sure you can change Hao’s mind too, Yoh.” Tokagero crosses his arms over his chest and flies above Yoh to look him in the eyes. “He’s your brother after all.”</p><p>“If only it would be that simple.” Yoh pouts like a little kid at the unfairness of it all.</p><p>“It might be difficult to see it, but Hao’s behavior has indeed changed since you joined him.” Bason says patiently. He throws an appraising glance at Ren. “Which is more than any of us ever expected.”</p><p>Amidamaru smiles at Yoh, comforting and familiar and it is maybe what Yoh wants but not what he needs. No, his current state of mind and the emotions clouding his head require another treatment altogether.</p><p>A painful one that will allow Yoh to put some of his doubts to rest, and access what semblance of logic he still has to make up a strategy to stop his brother.</p><p>Which is why Yoh first runs into Dobi village, making a beeline for the hotel Anna and the others are staying at.</p><p>His fiancé opens the door with a carefully blank expression on her face and she admits him inside without much decorum. Manta, though, is brimming with excitement to see his friend.</p><p>“What are you doing here, Yoh?”</p><p>Yoh takes one more second to catch his breath before he turns a serious expression onto Anna.</p><p>“Anna, please hit me.”</p><p>The following silence is cut short when Manta tentatively asks.</p><p>“Uh, are you alright?”</p><p>Despite her surprise, Anna snorts.</p><p>“So did you finally snap? Is this it?”</p><p>Yoh shakes his head, fervently.</p><p>“No, I didn’t! Something bad is going to happen and I have to stop it, but you have to hit me.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because your legendary left always helps me get out of whatever funk I’m caught in.” Yoh grins half-heartedly and Anna’s eyes narrow into slits.</p><p>Manta glances from Yoh to Anna, uncertain.</p><p>“What bad thing is gonna happen?”</p><p>Yoh wants to reach out and pat Manta’s head, but that’s more Opacho’s shtick and he doubts that his short friend will receive well the reminder about his height. So he just scratches at his cheek as he struggles to explain.</p><p>“Hao is going to do something very stupid that might result in us getting disqualified.”</p><p>As if summoned by those words, a scary and intense aura flares to life. Judging by the expression on her face, Anna doesn’t like what Yoh said one bit.</p><p>Yoh eyes her tight fists and he can easily picture those slim fingers wrapped about his brother’s throat and squeezing the life out of him for making Yoh lose the tournament prematurely.</p><p>“Well, we definitely can’t have that, can we?” Anna raises her left hand and Yoh swallows, his body reflexively tensing up for the incoming blow. “So you better get your head on right quickly, Yoh.”</p><p>The hit descends without mercy, but its curative effects miraculously work. Anna always managed to snap Yoh back to reality, even if her methods are torturous. And it’s not entirely because of the slap, but Yoh knows better than to tell that to Anna.</p><p>She’s always been scarce with her affections and Yoh telling her that he’s calmer and more composed when he is around her won’t be entirely welcomed. At least not on the surface and he hates just dumping his word vomit of feelings onto her and then taking off.</p><p>“And now let me take care of that idiotic brother of yours, too.” Anna cracks her knuckles and Manta takes a definite step back at the sight.</p><p>But Yoh works better with her around and because of that he springs into action and raises two placating hands.</p><p>“I promise I will take care of it! Don’t worry, Anna.”</p><p>“Oh, I am worried.” The girl admits quietly, seriously. She looks at him so unnervingly sincere that Yoh finally sees how scared she is right now. “I can’t have you be disqualified from the tournament, Yoh.”</p><p>“I know.” Yoh whispers. Deep inside, he wishes that he can be stronger and just tell her outright that he plans to help Hao become the shaman king, but he leaves that talk for another day when everyone’s spirits are calmer and there are no bystanders watching. “I promise you that I won’t.”</p><p>Something glimmers behind her eyes, but Yoh chalks it up to him being overly dramatic today.</p><p>“You better.”</p><p>“Good luck, Yoh!” Manta shoots him a wavering smile that Yoh returns tenfold.</p><p>“Thanks, Manta. I gotta run!”</p><p>Yoh makes a thirty minutes trip in under ten. His knees all but buckle when he spots the Patch’s headquarters and he has to lean against the nearest wall to steady his wildly beating heart.</p><p>“Yoh?” Familiar as it seems, the voice seems to come from very far away. “Are you alright?”</p><p>It might be from Anna’s slap earlier, but Yoh’s vision swims for a long moment, before it clears up to reveal Silva’s face. The man wears a worried expression as he leans over the younger boy.</p><p>“Silva! Just who I was looking for.”</p><p>Silva frowns but straightens his back.</p><p>“Why were you searching for me?”</p><p>Yoh looks around and swears that no one is there, but that does not mean he will risk it. He’s been hanging around his brother long enough to know that there are three thousand ways to spy someone without being seen.</p><p>“Let’s take a walk.”</p><p>If he is suspicious about his behavior, Silva does not forward any comment on it. Instead, he lets Yoh lead him further away from Patch HQ and deeper into Dobi village proper.</p><p>Yoh looks to the sky when he senses that they walked far enough and spots Amidamaru floating up above. The samurai offers a slight nod and Yoh sighs with relief.</p><p>“Is there a reason you brought me in the middle of an unused neighborhood, Yoh?”</p><p>Yoh laughs airily. “I was wondering where everyone was.”</p><p>“Yoh…” Silva begins, a friendly warning to speak faster veiled in his tone.</p><p>Yoh exhales, long and arduous. Whatever energy he has left is rapidly draining out of him.</p><p>“I, uh, happened to spot two of your buddies in the Patch council hanging out with Hao.” And damn if Yoh doesn’t feel like a snitch. Not because he cares a lot about Nichrom and Zinc, but mostly for Hao.</p><p>As expected, Silva is instantly on the offense.</p><p>“Who are they? What was their business with Hao?” The older man spits out the name like it is acid and Yoh’s brows furrow.</p><p>“Your problem with my brother seems much more personal than simply council member-participant, Silva.”</p><p>Silva blinks in surprise and turns a shocked face in his direction that Yoh almost rolls his eyes at.</p><p>“That is a very astute observation on your part, Yoh.”</p><p>The boy sniffs and puffs out his chest, even though he is shaky on the definition of one word there.</p><p>“You bet!”</p><p>Silva sighs despondently and then pinches the bridge of his nose, which makes Yoh incredibly confused.</p><p>“It is a shameful secret for me. Five hundred years ago, Hao reincarnated in my family as a Patch official.”</p><p>Yoh should be more shaken by the revelation, but the only thing he can offer in response is “Huh.”</p><p>Silva opens his eyes and looks down at him. “That’s it?”</p><p>The boy shrugs. “I guess.” Then his face lights up in a smile. “Hey, that means we are cousins of some kind!”</p><p>Silva looks on dubiously and nods hesitantly.</p><p>“I suppose so.” A small smile plays over his lips.</p><p>“I’m glad to hear that we’re in this together.” Yoh pats the back of his pants in lieu of something to do. He sidestepped the real subject for long enough. “Right, so. Two Patch officials were hanging around with my brother. I think their names are Nichrom and Zinc.”</p><p>Yoh watches as Silva’s mouth opens then closes. He sees the transformation from calm to angry unfold before his eyes. Silva bares his teeth.</p><p>“I should have expected something like this to happen. Nichrom lost his brother in the oracle bell test when Tao Ren killed him. Which is why it surprises me that he willingly cooperates with Hao, when Ren is one of his so-called followers. As for Zinc, I cannot say that I am surprised.”</p><p>Yoh nods in understanding. Ren has done some pretty questionable things before they became friends, but after he saw the Tao stronghold, Yoh cannot really fault him anymore as much as he places that fault on his friend’s family.</p><p>“That is strange.” Yoh agrees. “But I saw them with my own eyes.”</p><p>“What are they doing with Hao?”</p><p>The boy grimaces, but he knows that the question is inevitable.</p><p>“They are trying to sell him some Patch secrets or something.” Yoh is unsure under what category ‘Offering the way to the spirit sanctuary for free’ falls under, but he takes a gander that it is supposed to be a secret.</p><p>But as much as he is throwing Nichrom and Zinc under the bus with this one, Yoh feels a little guilty to be painting Hao in such an innocent light when he is anything but. In reality, Hao must have been the one to reach out to them first and offer a trade.</p><p>Yoh’s stomach turns at the thought so he focuses on Silva’s alarmed expression.</p><p>“That is very bad.” The man’s gaze is full of resolve when he looks to Yoh. “I must return to the council chambers at once. Nichrom and Zinc must be held accountable for what they’ve done.”</p><p>Yoh nods.</p><p>“If it’s helping any, there’s nothing concrete yet. I came to you as soon as I found out.” And it’s a little disconcerting that Yoh can lie so thoughtlessly to Silva, but what is done is done.</p><p>Silva flies away without another word and Yoh inwardly prepares himself to face his brother.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. You did it, you crazy Shaman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p> </p><p>He makes it back to camp with time to spare and the spirits seem to be on his side today. Just as Yoh prepares to step over the invisible threshold that separates Dobi’s forest from Hao’s campsite, he spots Nichrom and Zinc just behind him.</p><p>The two wear self-satisfied smiles that irk Yoh the wrong way and he stops.</p><p>“Why the long look, Yoh Asakura?” Zinc asks as soon as the duo pulls up to him.</p><p>Yoh frowns but keeps studying the two Patch officials. They are hardly shamans to scoff at, but otherwise, they look like normal teenagers with haughty glares in their eyes and rebellious auras that speak to Yoh somehow, yet not enough. Yoh had his phases and maybe he will have more, but right now he feels the most stable out of every other kid that stumbles in his way.</p><p>“Besides the fact that you guys are doing illegal stuff, not much reason.” Yoh answers easily, watching out for any possibility that one of them might lash out at him.</p><p>Zinc chuckles, but it is devoid of any amusement. There is a dark fire stoking behind his brown gaze and it automatically puts Yoh on the defensive.</p><p>“You sound very high and mighty when you say that.”</p><p>“I suppose you’d have to be,” Nichrom steps forward with a sneer dancing on his lips and alarms blare in Yoh’s head, “being master Hao’s brother and all. But that might get you to think that you are entitled to the same respect.” The Patch boy all but gets in his face. Yoh draws his head back and meets Nichrom’s eyes head on as he says. “Which is not the case at all.”</p><p>“Believe me, that’s not what I think.” Yoh finds himself answering even though he knows it would be better to leave them be. He is aware that there is no way of really communicating with them.</p><p>“I would hope so.” Zinc snarls.</p><p>Yoh watches the muscles in his arms tense up.</p><p>“The only reason you will live is because master Hao holds you close to his heart.”</p><p>By now, Yoh has heard enough renditions of these words that they have become commonplace, but that does not mean he has to enjoy the reminder every single time. He is not dumb enough not to realize that, should he have followed his clan’s directions and oppose his brother until the end, Hao might have been less friendly.</p><p>Yoh cannot even imagine it.</p><p>He doesn’t want to because it’s too painful.</p><p>Yoh might have a spot in his brother’s heart, but that is also the case vice versa.</p><p>And now that the possibility of Hao illegally breaking into the star sanctuary might become reality, Yoh is afraid to think of the moment he will have to put those feelings aside and try to kill his brother.</p><p>And it will be all Nichrom and Zinc’s faults.</p><p>“And you are here on one of my brother’s whims.” Yoh says, feeling his ire with these two growing. “You’ll be out of here in a whiff.”</p><p>“Keep holding onto that wish, but I think that you will see us more and more often.” Nichrom’s mouth curls into a smirk. “After all, once master Hao captures the king of spirits, it will be bye-bye to all the weaklings in this world.”</p><p>The Patch boy’s mouth falls into a demure expression.</p><p>“I would have like to get rid of you and your little friends as well. Especially <em>Ren</em>.” Nichrom’s glare intensifies twofold. “But I am sure that if I bide my time, the opportunity will present itself.”</p><p>“So kick back your feet and don’t worry, Yoh.” Zinc says mockingly. “Just enjoy the show and let master Hao rid the world of all the pests infecting it.”</p><p>Yoh refuses to listen to their taunts, but he’s also learned not to simply swallow every piece of garbage people throw his way. Sometimes he needs to protect the things he cares about, even from non-physical attacks.</p><p>His brother told him on one violently dangerous occasion that ‘<em>I don’t care that you don’t care and I will care if I want to</em>’ and it’s a tongue tier, but Yoh thinks he gets it now.</p><p>“You are wrong because you don’t know my brother. And I know that he won’t mindlessly kill so many innocents because I believe in him. So you can <em>kick back</em> and wait a thousand years if you want to. It won’t happen.”</p><p>His comment is unwelcome, and the two show their displeasure clearly.</p><p>Nichrom awards him a look filled with contempt.</p><p>“Big words for a powerless little boy.”</p><p>Yoh’s mouth is already open. He doesn’t know what words will fall out of his mouth, but he senses they might be biting and harmful, which might either give him an edge or make Zinc attack him. Either way, Yoh is ready to face them, even though he left his sword back in his tent.</p><p>“My apologies for interrupting this heated discussion.”</p><p>Before Yoh can blink, both Zinc and Nichrom are on their knees in front of Hao.</p><p>“Master Hao. We apologize for our tardiness.”</p><p>“Yes, you were otherwise <em>detained.</em>”</p><p>Yoh catches the short glance Hao affords him before he continues.</p><p>“But that is inconsequential. You are where you need to be.”</p><p>Nichrom seems happy at his words, but Zinc looks up, confusion dancing over his face.</p><p>Yoh stares at his brother, poised to change his target and argue with him, because he <em>will not give up trying to convince him otherwise</em>, <em>never</em>, but then Hao looks to the sky.</p><p>“They are all yours.”</p><p>And like vengeful angels, four Patch officials descend from the sky at the same time. They surround Nichrom and Zinc and cuff them before they can react.</p><p>“Where is it?” Silva’s rough voice snaps him out of his stupor.</p><p>Yoh sees his brother lift the folder with runes running down the front that he found on his desk earlier that day. It bursts into flames against the protests of the council members.</p><p>“There you have it.” Hao extends a hand filled with ashes.</p><p>“I guess it’s fine now.” Kalim walks up to them now that Zinc and Nichrom are secure. He spares a glance at his frustrated friend before he offers both Hao and Yoh a wavering smile. “It’s good that both of you alerted us of what was happening.”</p><p>“Eh?”</p><p>Hao lifts a disdainful eyebrow, as if inviting Yoh to share his doubts with the audience.</p><p>“I informed the council that those two stole a Patch secret file and brought it to me in exchange for a place in my plans.”</p><p>Which plans and what they are exactly, Yoh is unsure anymore. Even Hao looks partly dubious as he speaks of them.</p><p>“How can we be so sure that you haven’t memorized what was in there?” Silva all but growls out the question.</p><p>“Silva!” Kalim hisses, even though it is a good question.</p><p>Hao is unphased by the animosity.</p><p>“My word will have to be enough. I thought long and hard, and I decided not to open it.”</p><p>A myriad of different emotions flicker through Yoh, so potent they might as well be hitting him physically. The most prominent one is relief, and it is excitement that gets Yoh to grin wide and declare.</p><p>“No worries, I’m going to make sure he follows the rules!”</p><p>Silva seems somewhat mollified by Yoh’s promise.</p><p>Hao rolls his eyes and turns to walk away.</p><p>“Zinc and Nichrom will be tried and held accountable for their actions.”</p><p>Yoh nods at Silva’s words.</p><p>“Take it easy on them.”</p><p>The Patch officials take their leave with as much flair as they arrived.</p><p>Yoh has to jog to catch up to his brother.</p><p>“Why did you give up on the plan?”</p><p>Because at the end of the day, Yoh is still curious. The file was full of temptation and Yoh is not naïve enough to think that Hao didn’t thoroughly read it.</p><p>Hao throws him a scathing glare.</p><p>“Why do you think?”</p><p>Yoh plays dumb.</p><p>“I really thought you’d do it. Could’ve had the king of spirits by tomorrow.”</p><p>His impish grin earns him a jab in the ribs.</p><p>“I thought you knew not to tempt me by now, Yoh. I <em>did</em> do my homework, you know?”</p><p>“Glad to know you’re doing homework.” Yoh quips. “It will do you well when you win the tournament.”</p><p>His brother’s steps stutter and come to a halt, but he keeps his gaze trained in the distance, no matter how much Yoh tries to urge Hao to look at him.</p><p>“Did you mean it?”</p><p>“Mean what?” Yoh has to duck his head, but he finally manages to meet Hao’s eyes.</p><p>“That you will make sure I will become the shaman king.” Hao says gravelly.</p><p>“Oh, that.” Yoh smiles toothily. “Yeah!”</p><p>Hao takes two steps forward before he angles his head in Yoh’s direction. His long hair obscures a large part of his face, but Yoh can spot many things that he couldn’t three months ago.</p><p>“Then I will probably need a second in command to keep the humans in line. You know how I hate dealing with them.”</p><p>And that might be the resolution Yoh was looking for all this time, but it pales in comparison with the sight of his brother smiling.</p><p>Yoh laughs loudly.</p><p>“Sounds pretty tough. Poor guy!”</p><p>“Negotiations aren’t over, little brother.” Hao says, a note of seriousness in his tone. “But we will do it your way. That much I can promise you.”</p><p>“Negotiations are never over with you, aren’t they?” Yoh sighs plaintively. He throws an arm over his brother’s shoulders and pulls him close. “I’m willing to make the sacrifice, though.”</p><p>Hao snorts. “As long as you don’t start calling yourself stupid epithets.”</p><p>“Epi-what?”</p><p>“I already have my hands full with your dumb friends.”</p><p>Yoh pretends to be shocked, which doesn’t do much more than irritate his older brother.</p><p>“Gasp! What did they do?”</p><p>“Did you just say ‘gasp’ – you know what?” Hao shakes his head. “We are not talking about it.”</p><p>Yoh chuckles.</p><p>“And you know very well what they did. Countless people coming to whine that they won’t be fighting in the tournament anymore and how much they were looking forward to it. What am I – secretary of complaints?”</p><p>“Man, that was a good one! You got Choco outmatched.”</p><p>Hao trains a dry look on him.</p><p>“Please, Yoh. I can give Chocolove a run for his money.”</p><p>“<em>As if</em>!”</p><p>Probably summoned by their bickering, Choco’s voice filters from somewhere to their right.</p><p>Both boys glance to the line of bushes, expecting to see the comedian fall out of them. What does happen in reality, is a whole army of shamans tumbling out of said plants with Yoh’s friends smack in the middle of it.</p><p>“It’s your friends again, Yoh.” Hao says with exasperation.</p><p>Yoh bursts out laughing at the funny image as he watches them try to disentangle their limbs and sit up.</p><p>“We weren’t listening or anything.” Ren begins in a chilly tone and with a glare that are more for show than anything else.</p><p>Ryu promptly shoves him out of the way and takes Yoh’s hands.</p><p>“I’m so glad you solved matters, master Yoh!”</p><p>Faust appears next to him and appropriates one of Yoh’s hands for himself. “I never doubted you.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, big deal!” Horo picks his nose with a scowl. “If you ask me, he was kinda late and almost got us disqualified-“</p><p>“But it’s great we aren’t <em>ciao</em> from the tournament.” Choco has the great idea to place a lumpy hat on Hao's head, with the Italian flag on it and pronounce ‘ciao’ almost like Hao, but the joke still falls flat when the silence stretches on for too long.</p><p>“You are out of this world.” Hao glares at him with the full force of an inferno, but Choco takes it as a compliment and that is his first mistake.</p><p>“Thank you-“</p><p>“No, I mean that you are <em>out </em>of <em>this</em> world.”</p><p>The spirit of fire roars to life and the comedian springs into a full out sprint to get as far away from the giant as possible.</p><p>Yoh crosses his arms behind his head and laughs again, feeling lighter than he has in a long while.</p><p>“You gotta come with me, Hao.”</p><p>“And why is that?” His brother asks disinterestedly, still concentrated on hunting Chocolove down.</p><p>But Yoh is past words and full on crying crocodile tears as he thinks of the pain ahead of him.</p><p>“Because I have to tell Anna everything and I’m scared to go alone.”</p><p>For the first time in his life, Yoh sees Hao completely horrified at the prospect of a fight.</p><p>Granted, it will be a very one-sided one.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Contrary to everyone’s hopes and dreams, only two sets pan out to reality.</p><p>Hao does become the shaman king after successfully living through Anna’s ire and his brother is there by his side the entire time.</p><p>He does leave the humans alone, but Yoh still has to work on convincing him to continue to do so.</p><p>Manta is ecstatic to hear it, even if some of Hao’s followers aren’t.</p><p>The guys all fight tooth and nail through the rest of the tournament, and even Yoh fights full out against his brother, but in the end, Hao still prevails. Though he does declare himself impressed with how far their elemental control has evolved, much to their overly loud victorious exclamations.</p><p>Jun and Pirika are just glad to have their brothers back and even Lee Pai Long mellows down once he has all the details and full reasons.</p><p>Tamao is still skittish around his brother, but not enough to walk three blocks just to not cross paths with him.</p><p>Anna refuses to believe that Yoh has rightfully lost the tournament. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but not as tough as the training she instills onto Yoh for his failure.</p><p>Now that the apocalyptic landslide didn’t come to pass, the shaman community has gotten used to the notion that Hao is the new shaman king, even if grumbles and grunts are still in order every time the subject is brought up.</p><p>Hao is content, Yoh can see that. He’s got to finally achieve his dream and if Yoh is going to get a little mushy and selfish, he thinks that Hao enjoys hanging out with his little brother too.</p><p>And Yoh?</p><p>Yoh is glad to see that his stubbornness paid off.</p><p>Yoh is glad that he didn’t listen to his family when it was expected of him to.</p><p>Yoh is glad to have his friends with him.</p><p>But most of all.</p><p>Yoh is glad that he gets to have his twin brother with him.</p><p> </p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed the story!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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